1st WWOOF

It is about a miles drive on dust tracks and another miles on road to the nearest village, which is on the shores of a 20 mile long lake lapping at the base of snowcapped mountains which sit, panoramic, on my horizon, hazed by distance and the sun cutting down on plateau. The house is beautifully designed, based on an octagon - using the view to decorate it. The first adverse weather I have had here has left a fresh scattering of snow on the hill tops, and has given me some time to write this and sort out ******* online banking.
The grounds of the house stretch for acres, dropping off the plateau to give views across the valley, but the gardens hug the property, giving room for a couple of orchards, a shaded camping area, a vegetable patch, a few planted banks and a lawn.
So far I have dug a soak-away for the tool shed run off, mowed about an acre of tussocky lawn (including a hang-gliding launch pad!), moved a heap or manure, planted a couple of reed plants with about 50 more to go and played with the extensive watering system (which is necessary as it is so dry here).
Anyway, it is great fun, plus I have been on a couple of trips to the lake shore and 'blue pools' - the most perfect medetarenien blue pools from glacial melt waters.
x

WOW

The flight was pretty monotonous, but there were plenty of films to watch so it wasn't too bad plus it all went perfectly. Though it did feel as though i had been knee-capped most of the time. The accomodation in Christchurch is ideal with other people like me, and the city is very sweet, South Brent is busier. It is a lovely place though, with stunning botanical gardens close by and it is all very clean and neat.
Yesterday I went on the most beautiful walk of my life, absolutly no joke. I started early in to the Port hills (4/500m) close by to Christchurch and spent the day padding along the Crater Rim trail amoungst wooded craggy hills in the perfect sunshine accompanied all the time with beautiful birdsong and the most magical heavy scent of spring flowers. There were continual views stretching across the plains to a spine of snow capped mountains running for hundreds of miles into the distance, whilst on the other side the coast line stretched away in to the haze with the sea glinting below me. Very reminiscent of the devon coast line, although wooded with unfamiliar trees I felt like a real explorer, helped by the fact that I was completly alone, the best feeling ever.

Today im having a sorting day, and im going to check out all the bike shops! x

The Day.

Twiddling my thumbs rather in limbo, everything’s packed and tidied away and im sat here not wanting to untidy anything again. I’ve said goodbye to various parts of the house and it seems to defeat the point if I go back there, so im confined to the last corner in my retreat.
It hasn't quite hit me yet, still, I think it is almost too big to quite comprehend, I'm just going to have to take it one step at a time. My bags too heavy to take more than that at one time anyway.

My plans have changed slightly, I'm going to stay in Christchurch for a few days before heading down to my first WWOOF farm near Wanaka, where I'm going to attempt to pick up work in the adventure sports field. If I manage to find something there then i will probably stay, if not then im hoping to wwoof my way up the south island to the Marlborough Sound where there are some stunning places and to friends for Christmas.

I will give you a post on the other side. x