More blisters ;-(

If my mom had seen me this morning I wonder if she would have been proud of me, completely shocked or simply surprised. Why? I was doing gardening work!!! Yep, I'm talking about me. I was swinging a hoe clearing out weeds and grass in Beverley's backyard. 1.5 hours! Now my hands are covered in blisters because there weren't any gloves ;-/ But who's complaining...

Staying at the pet animal zoo turned out a bit different than I had thought it would be. I never got to meet Beverley because she actually had to go to the hospital the day I arrived ;-/ But Joe, another couchsurfer currently staying with her and helping out, said I could come anyway and so this morning I helped him a bit in the backyard.

It was still quite an experience. Bev has sooo many animals - sheep (one is blind), a lovely dog named Honey, heaps of cats, chicken with babies, ducks and ducklings, guinea-pigs, rabbits, goats (baby goats due to arrive any day). If you are in the area, have a bit of time and would like to help her out I'm sure she'd appreciate it as she might not be able to do anything for a while when she comes back from the hospital. Check out Zippity Zoo online...

Well, it's time for me to get back on the road. My next stop tonight is Erua in Tongariro National Park. Tomorrow is the big day - I'm going the Tongariro Crossing, a six to eight hour day hike to "Mt. Doom" from Lord of the Rings.

WISH ME LUCK!!!!!