Tomato Te Mata

We made it to Raglan! Actually, it's a little town 20 minutes from Raglan called Te Mata. (REMINDS ME OF TOMATOES!)  We're staying with a family - a mom, dad, and two boys. The boys were trying to teach us how to play cricket. It was actually kind of fun once I understood what was going on. :)

Here's a view from the house... it's beautiful! That's Mount Karioi in the background. Hopefully we can climb it before we leave!

Out of all the Kiwi folk I've talked to (and it has been quite a few!) everyone has been so amazingly nice. What I find really interesting though is that in talking with them about the U.S. and things back home quite a few people have brought up the gun control/school shooting thing. That's the big thing we're associated with now. Guns & McDonald's.  

When we went kayaking the other day and arrived at the island there was a bus tour of people going down the hill as we were walking up. The Kiwi folk I was with (jokingly) called it the American tour/the American way. It's funny because it's probably true, but that makes me sad. What are we known for? Guns and being lazy?  Sad. Sad. Sad.


More later...