The Man Challenge

The other weekend, Shawn did an over 500 kilometer scooter ride. Here in New Zealand, they do not use miles like we do, they use kilometers. Actually most places in the world use a kind of measurement system called the metric system. In the states, we use the imperial or standard system. Anyway, Shawn, his friend Caleb, and some other guys did the New Zealand Man Challenge and rode scooters for 500 km or over 300 miles. They had a great time even though cars were whizzing by the whole time and they had to ride on the shoulder (they call it the side road here)! While away, Shawn and Caleb lived on cereal and avocados!

Candy Floss

In New Zealand they call cotton candy "Candy Floss"!!

The wrong side of the road

Meet Roy and Val

We met Roy and Val at the Paeroa street races (called Battle of the Streets). Roy was so kind and offered us a place to stay for the night (we ended up staying 2 nights). Val made us an authentic New Zealand dinner (picnic pie as well as fresh veggies from the garden) and we had a wonderful time getting to know our new friends. They also had grapes growing on vines on their patio which were quite yummy. Thank you for everything Roy and Val!

The mongoose attack**

**Upon further investigation, we have learned that New Zealand does not even have any Mongooses (mongeese?) and it was a possum. While at a visitor site in town, I looked up a possum which is described as a cute, calm, timid, and docile animal. The people who wrote that have apparently never been attacked by one!

More on gloworms...

Since Audrey wanted to see some gloworm pictures...here they are! Do you remember when we had stuffed gloworms when we were kids, Audrey!? I loved mine. Since gloworms are part of the spider famile, they make a silk web. It does not look like a normal spider web though...it is silk strands that hangs down and catches bugs, spiders, and other gloworms for eating. Oh...and I threw in a couple of nice pictures of the cave for good measures!

Mount Maunganuhi and the boy house

Right now, Shawn and I are staying with one of his friend's named Caleb. Caleb lives in Mount Maunganui (here they call it The Mount) which is a town on the Bay of Plenty in eastern New Zealand. Caleb lives in a 2 bedroom house with 1 bathroom and 5 guys live in it! Shawn and I are sleeping on the floor in the living room (lounge as they call it) and loving every minute of it! The house is 1 block from the beach and it is fun to be around a lot of kiwis (what we call New Zealanders). We have been exploring the town which is settled on the beach and next to a "mountain" (not as big as the Rocky Mountains)that Shawn and I got to hike up. Shawn is also doing some surfing (we now know that you run...not walk...to the surf) and I am doing some beach reading! One of the guys living in the house is training for a hike in the Artic and he hikes up the Mount with 2 tires attached to him. Another guy living there is a surf instructor...maybe he will teach me how to surf!