One of the things that I've often considered when travelling alone is what is the best way of occupying my time by doing something productive and worthwhile...and it was during my recent visit to the Coromandel that the idea of volunteering became something that I have thought about considering as a possible way of filling in my time when travelling on my own.
During my recent visit to Whitianga, I stayed with Kim and Robyn Lawry, long standing friends. And it was Kim who gave me the initial thought about volunterring. Kim has set up the Mercury Bay Environmental Trust, a small native plant nursery in the beautiful Mercury Bay in the Coromandel,
With a band of volunteers, they are doing such an important job in the region working with the NZ Dept of Conservation to protect dune plant life going forward.
I spent a few hours working at the nursery with the other volunteers, pruning hundreds of Knobby Rush plants that will eventually be re-planted on the dunes as part of the ongoing conservation programme.
Not only did I find it therapeutic doing the work out in the sunshine but also it was nice to meet the other regular volunteers and to learn more about the programme and what it is achieving.
It was a very laidback atmosphere at the nursery and Kim has really created something really special here. I would thoroughly recommend doing something like this if you have the time during your travels.
To be honest there must be plenty of different volunteering projects all around the world that welcome and encourage volunteers so maybe this is something that we could all look out for when we are travelling.
Kim and Micayla at the nursery were briliant hosts and please feel free to follow them on social media to see how their work is playing such an important role in the area.
Thanks Kim and Micayla
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