Hey everyone! I am now writing from a hostel in Greymouth. Just about halfway down the west coast of the South Island. It is a neat little town. I am going to be spending about a week here I think helping out around the hostel in exchange for a free bed, laundry, and internet. Not a bad deal! It is cool because this is the first hostel that I have been to that has as many kiwis staying here as there are backpackers. It is a nice way to meet the locals!
I am helping to put in a new reception desk that is made out of one big chuck of Rimu. It looks really good, of course! ;) There are a bunch of really fun things that I am going to try and do while I am around here. First off is a Monteith's Brewery Tour Tonight or tomorrow, not sure yet. Then there is a place north of here that I may have told some of you about. You get all day to hand-forge your very own knife! In the spare time between steps you get to learn knife/hatchet throwing, archery, and tons of other cool stuff!
Going to do some more work now! Talk to you all soon!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Wow two posts in one week!?!
Look at me go! I told you that I would try and post more! I have been chopping down a hedge and chipping it all morning and next we have to pull a little willow out of a creek and chip that up too. But I have a bit to tell you about life. I am leaving tonight and heading for Nelson for two nights and then South on down to Greymouth. I don't think that there is a whole lot of other stuff to report yet, just been life as usual here for the past couple of days. Spent some time in beautiful Blenheim which even the guide book admits "doesn't have much going for it." I didn't think that it was that bad though.
I watched a really cool documentary last night called "Man On Wire" I Don't know if any of you have seen it but you should! It is a really cool story about a wirewalker that set up a tightrope and was on it for 45 minutes at the top of the World Trade Centers! I won't ruin it for you but how they get it up there is way cool!
Alright I think that is about it for now, going out to make some more wood chips! Hope everyone is doing great!
Cheers!
I watched a really cool documentary last night called "Man On Wire" I Don't know if any of you have seen it but you should! It is a really cool story about a wirewalker that set up a tightrope and was on it for 45 minutes at the top of the World Trade Centers! I won't ruin it for you but how they get it up there is way cool!
Alright I think that is about it for now, going out to make some more wood chips! Hope everyone is doing great!
Cheers!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Long Time, No See!
Sorry everyone! I have gotten really bad at updating this haven't I? I promise that I'll try and be better. Now that I am off the boat it should be easier, still it has taken me some time to get used to internet here. At home we all take it for granted that you can just go out and find a coffee shop with free internet. New Zealand is different though, it is really expensive! Some of the hosts can be pretty touchy about their internet as well they should be. Some of them pay almost $200 a month for it! In town the going rate is about $4 an hour for it. So I post when I can!
I should probably tell you what I have been up to. I am now on the South Island! I am working at an amazing vineyard just outside of Blenheim (Blenum). It is the center of the Marlborough Wine Trail. The whole valley that I am staying in is covered in vines, literally! The views are great, to the north there is a mountain range that is steep and jagged and covered in pine trees. Then to the south there is another mountain range that is all dry and brown. It is a really cool contrast with everything.
As far as the work goes I have spent all morning walking up and down the vines putting up netting to keep the birds off the grapes. It is interesting because some vineyards use the nets while others go for the scare tactic and use flashy ribbons, cd's, guys on quad-bikes with sirens, shotguns and gas-guns (glorified propane spud guns). So there is the nice peaceful scenery set to the sound-track of a war zone! You get used to after a while though!
My next stop is in Nelson for a couple of nights and then on down to a hostel in Greymouth. The drive down the west coast is supposed to be one of the greatest drives in the world so I am really looking forward to that! I should have more constant interwebs access for the rest of the trip so I will really try and get back into the habit of posting here!
I should probably tell you what I have been up to. I am now on the South Island! I am working at an amazing vineyard just outside of Blenheim (Blenum). It is the center of the Marlborough Wine Trail. The whole valley that I am staying in is covered in vines, literally! The views are great, to the north there is a mountain range that is steep and jagged and covered in pine trees. Then to the south there is another mountain range that is all dry and brown. It is a really cool contrast with everything.
As far as the work goes I have spent all morning walking up and down the vines putting up netting to keep the birds off the grapes. It is interesting because some vineyards use the nets while others go for the scare tactic and use flashy ribbons, cd's, guys on quad-bikes with sirens, shotguns and gas-guns (glorified propane spud guns). So there is the nice peaceful scenery set to the sound-track of a war zone! You get used to after a while though!
My next stop is in Nelson for a couple of nights and then on down to a hostel in Greymouth. The drive down the west coast is supposed to be one of the greatest drives in the world so I am really looking forward to that! I should have more constant interwebs access for the rest of the trip so I will really try and get back into the habit of posting here!
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