A sign of life!

Yes, I'm still alive. Haven't had the opportunity to update my weblog in some time. Even now I don't have to long so I'll have to keep it shorter than you're used to ;-)!

We left Cromwell on monday the 17th of july and headed for the Fiordland. I had great expectations because of what I had seen in the malborough souds and this is supposed to be even more spectacular. We spent the night in Te Anau and before really going into the Fiordland down the Milford road, we went to a little cinema. A local guy spent 10 years making a 32 minute dosimeters about the area and built this cinema especially to show it. It was amazing!

My wish for good weather didn't come true and we spent two days in the Fiordland doing some short walks and on our way out Marieke and I did the summit track of the Routeburn. This was as far as we could go. Unfortunately because of the snow the rest for the track and also the Milford and Kepler track were closed.

Martha's wanted to do the whole Routeburn whith ends up back in Queenstown but had to make other plans. She decided to do the Hollyfield track which takes 6 days! It was sad to say goodbye to her. We had spent 5 amazing weeks together and I think we both felt we made a very good friend.

Marieke and I went on and drove the scenic south route which takes you from Te Anau, trough Invercargill and the Catlins, to Dunedin. It was a beautiful drive but also a long drive with just one night in the Catlins so we spent most of our time in the car.

My radio had given up and when we went to see a mechanic in Te Anau he joked about buying a guitar and singing ourselves. At the time we just laughed but little did we know that we would end up meeting a French guy who could accually sing! So in exchange for a ride to Invercargil he sang to us the whole way and it was brilliant!

We spent two days in Dunedin and saw seals and yellow eyed penguins on the Otago peninsula. Then the time came to drop Marieke of at her farm near Gore. This turned out to be a farm from hell. The people were very negative about eachother. In the first five minutes we were hearing a lot of negative stories from the owners about the other employees. This we found a bit weird but ok. Then they invited me to stay for the night which I did and they showed us the place Marieke was going to stay for 5 weeks. It was basically a house which had been abandoned for 10 years and they didn't even bother cleaning it. We had to pick up the curtains from the flour and pull some mattresses together. Not a pretty sight! A to top it all off they mentioned that from the little money she was going to earn, $220,- a week, she had to pay for electricity, wood and gas! Maybe you feel it coming but yes...the next day she was sitting next to me in the car back to Gore!

Marieke's husband Frans e-mailed some friends to find another farm and we also started looking into other options like Wwoof, Vets or maybe it was just destiny for Marieke to travel! In the mean time we didn't sit still and drove up to Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo and Timaru.

Just as Marieke decided to give up the search for a new farm and just travel, we had actually already finished a whole travel plan so she could see the south and north island in 4 weeks, Frans called with the goods news. He had found a farm. His email had been forwarded about 5 times so it was a big chain reaction and a farm near Drafield was very happy to set her up. Marieke had to adjust and let her travel plans go and I had to say goodbye to her again.

The farm was amazing. We arrived at an actual office! Everything looked so professional. She would get her own little house with private bathroom. The kitchen and living was shared with 3 others who also each had their own little house set up around this common house. Wow! Marieke formulated it as coming from the farm from hell to Dairy paradise!

They were looking for another person to help out in this busy calving season so the next day we both started at 8! There are 3 dairy units with each 750 cows and we both work in a different one with a team of 4.

We now have our three days of after working 9 days straight. It is hard work but we are enjoying every minute of it. Were riding quads, motorbikes, tractors. Feeding out hay to the cows so standing of a moving trailer on top of three high stacked hay bales. I even started milking this week which means getting up at 5 (its going to be even earlier..Help) and finishing at 7-8 at night. We are very tired but also very happy to be a part of this great team. We're learning so much and the Kiwi farm guys here are very impressed of these two city girls who are working their butts of in rain and cold but luckily also a lot of sunshine!

I'm staying here for at least a month so if I don't write on my weblog you know why...I'm working!