In retrospect, sadly, I am glad not to be with the last WWOOF hosts. They were complex and challenging, and I was becoming exhausted, ending with me really doing my back in, at which point, anyway, I was traded with their friends WWOOFer for a few days. They were easier to be around, and didn't expect any huge amount of physical work. They were very generous to take me for 3 days whilst a lay on the floor recuperating. Fortunately I had some younger company for entertainment too (not that all you old folk are boring, just I need my fix of youth!)
I really wanted to see some of the night life and socials in Queenstown, so I stayed in one of many backpackers for 2 nights, and had a most relaxing time soaking in the (free) hot tub whilst it rained for the 3rd day in a row and I splashing about in my new sandals. The evenings were entertaining, as a group of Americans in my dorm were very funny and game for laughs, despite there being limited resources in town.
The last 2 days have been used to travel the 700km to Nelson where I am now staying with family friends for Christmas. I already have kayaking, fishing, golf, barbeques, cycling and cricket in the itinerary for the next few days!
I hope you have a very merry Christmas, and I will be thinking of you all as I have fresh tuna steak with Mediterranean veg for Christmas Dinner roasted on a barbeque on the beach.
Monday 22 December 2008
Saturday 6 December 2008
2rd/ 3rd WWOOF
I have just spent over 3 weeks with my last host, which is a real reflection on how wonderful they were, I had a really amazing time, and I had some great experiences in and out of the garden. They took me in and I really felt like part of the family. They even gave me a beautiful present when I left.
It is funny, I said in my last post I was feeling as though it was time to move on. I got over this over then next couple of days, I think it was just convenience why I stayed but I'm thinking I may get the moving on feeling on the border of when I stop having one kind of relationship with a place/ person and start having a deeper one. I am very glad I stayed on to make a stronger connection with them.
Finally the time did come around for me to make the next step, I caught a lift with Ben on a wet Thursday morning to Queenstown where he was running a couple of composting courses for the local council. I met up with my next hosts in the town after buying a New Zealand SIM card so calls are cheaper (my new number is: +0064 210599778). The hosts live on a large area of land that hides and appears in disjointed places around the hillside, on entry it is plucked from 50 years back with pieces of machinery serenading the drive including utes, upturned cars, an excavator or two and some large scale gold mining equipment. The house front is splayed with rusting tools and you currently have to walk under the excavator arm to get to the front door.
I’m even more in heaven as I have got to remove the tracks of the excavator, and do welding and grinding to re-attach the top rollers. Also its the kind of place where we jump in the back of the pick-up or on the trailer if we are going somewhere on their land.
x
It is funny, I said in my last post I was feeling as though it was time to move on. I got over this over then next couple of days, I think it was just convenience why I stayed but I'm thinking I may get the moving on feeling on the border of when I stop having one kind of relationship with a place/ person and start having a deeper one. I am very glad I stayed on to make a stronger connection with them.
Finally the time did come around for me to make the next step, I caught a lift with Ben on a wet Thursday morning to Queenstown where he was running a couple of composting courses for the local council. I met up with my next hosts in the town after buying a New Zealand SIM card so calls are cheaper (my new number is: +0064 210599778). The hosts live on a large area of land that hides and appears in disjointed places around the hillside, on entry it is plucked from 50 years back with pieces of machinery serenading the drive including utes, upturned cars, an excavator or two and some large scale gold mining equipment. The house front is splayed with rusting tools and you currently have to walk under the excavator arm to get to the front door.
I’m even more in heaven as I have got to remove the tracks of the excavator, and do welding and grinding to re-attach the top rollers. Also its the kind of place where we jump in the back of the pick-up or on the trailer if we are going somewhere on their land.
x
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