To Hanmer

My ski season wrapped up with a couple of telemarking lessons - a form of skiing where the heel of the boot is free from the ski, so it allows the skier to ascend slopes aswell, as you can do a walking motion, which gives a telemarker access to backcountry and alpine touring. I left my ski gear at a friends house for another season and hitched 560km north to Hanmer Springs.

I had previously done a lot of research into activity centres as I knew I wanted to spend the next part of my time here training to be a leader - it is the best place in the world to do it! So fortunatly for me 'Activity Hanmer' responded to my e-mail very positivly, and invited me to join them for the year as a trainee instructor.

I have just spent my first week up here, and managed to stay in a beautiful modern straw bale house with my colleges whilst I found more perminant accomodation. The week has been awesome, ive really enjoyed doing the work - climbing and mountain biking, and my colleges are a similar age and really in to the same things.

As the activity centre (http://www.activityhanmer.co.nz/) works with secondry schools, the work periods and holidays conincide with the schools, so im actually now on 2 weeks holiday. I've allready spent one night camping on bank of the Clarence river, over in the next valley, and im just planning a 5 day tramp on the St James walkway, so trying to keep busy.

Im considering doing a mountaineering course over summer, but Im wieghting that up agains having a job (which would be really useful), or rock climbing and kayaking and tramping (which would be alot more fun and would help towards qualifications).

I will update again when I have got a bit more stuck in to work and have some more responcabilities.

I hope your well.

x