Kiwi360

We went off to visit what used to be called Kiwiworld and is now called Kiwi360 in Te Puke, pronounced Te Pukay. We were taken in a tractor/trailer, which is supposed to look like individual kiwis!!!!!!, around the farm.

It was a good talk and I was amazed to find out that more than 20,000 extra people are employed during the ten weeks of picking and packing the fruit. Most of these people come from students, backpackers, retired people and housewives (Jon thinks I could work here in the next few weeks). After the leaves fall the new shoots are then "tied in" by professional people and in the spring (New Zealand spring)more than 20,000 beehives are brought in for the pollination - amazing!!

We then went on to visit a nearby town called Maketu which is famous for its "pies" but the pie shop was closed and we could only buy pies from the village shop but they were good. The beach was lovely, too and we had mega ice creams!

On the way back I saw a sign which said Papamoa Hills Heritage Reserve so we thought we would have a look. Turned out to be an amazing climb up hills through the most beautiful landscape with amazing ferns and huge trees. However, the climb was very, very, very steep and at one point I thought I would give up as I was so puffed but Jon told me I couldn't give up so on I went and made it to the top and well worth it, it was. The views were wonderful. You could see over to where we live and in the other direction to White Island which is an active volcano off the coast at Wakatane.

We spoke to some ladies who were there and they said they did the climb every week! OMG! They told us some people do it everyday OMG!, OMG! I never thought I would make it once. Going down was so much easier.

Totty only had a short walk this evening - our legs could take no more! We more than walked off our pies and ice cream.