Yep and it has been raining for three days straight now. So much for Nelson being the sunshine capital of NZ! Well it does give me a reason to update my weblog again.
It's been a few weeks so have to dig hard to remember what I've been up to. Yes, Hanmer! Le Gite backpackers is definitely the best place I've stayed at. The owners are a young dutch couple who immigrated 6 months ago. They started off in Christcurch and during a Easter trip they came across this hostel which was for sale. They didn't have to think twice, if you would see it you would understand!
I spent my days reading, doing all the walks, having coffee at "the powerhouse" and watching movies. It really felt like home. Brenda was also very happy to be able to talk about something else then "How long have you been in NZ?" "Where are you heading next?". Although having a hostel is her dream, it also means having the same conversation over and over again with everyone who comes in the hostel. I helped her out some times with making the beds, cleaning and watching the phone for which she gave me a discount on my stay. That always makes me happy!
On Thursday I got a special visitor. I haven't mensioned him before but ok I think it's time I did ;-). Mark and I spent 2 days in Hanmer enjoying the hot springs and then drove to Kaikoura. The weather was great and on the way we got some fish & chips. In a quiet little bay we enjoyed the fish & chips with the sound of waves crashing on the rocks.
We stayed in the Cray Cottage which was recommended to us by Brenda and Geert. We new there was the possibility of running in to them, seeing as they had the day off and also where going to Kaikoura. On arrival the owners of the Cray Cottage invited us for a bbq that night and Brenda & Geert where also coming! My first bbq in NZ, jippie summer is here (almost).
The next day we had to cut our breakfast short because there was word of a whale and her calve being right in front of the beach. We jumped into the car and we ended up sitting on the beach just looking at this beautiful big creature laying there enjoying all the attention. Sometimes I even thought it was putting on a show for us all. Rolling over in the water, going under, coming right up with her head and showing of her tail. It was amazing! Offcourse the pictures are crap because allthought she seemed close, the pictures just show a little black stripe in the water. Makes you realize how amazing our eyes are.
Mark had to get back to work the next day, he works at Grasslands, so I went back to Hanmer to pick up my car and decided to head for Nelson lakes. That day it was raining too and on arrival St Arnaud looked so depressing, the hostels where cold, big, impersonal and empty! So I drove on.. Traveling is all about making decisions based on feeling. Even though now I haven't seen Nelson lakes (yet) I did spend the night in a very nice hostel half way to Nelson. Here I was also the only guest but it was a small house on a farm. Nice and cozy by the fire I finished my book, baked muffins (I'm becoming a real muffin expert, my assortment already consists of blueberry, chocolate banana, chocolate peach and boysenberry)
The next day I drove to Nelson. This was the first time I came back to a place I'd already been to in 5 months. I spent my birthday here with Martha. Quite nice to already be formiliar with a town and having no problem finding the supermarket. I did chose a different backpackers, because if you remember the last place was full of rastafarians who didn't want to talk to us ;-). The Green Monkey is a small hostel with only 16 beds. I directly asked if I could Wwoof. That means cleaning and doing reception 4 hours a day, 5 days a week for free accommodation, internet and washing. The funny thing is that just 1 hour before me Shaz had arrived. Also dutch and we both started the next day. We have our own little room in the back of the garden which is perfect. Only thing is that we have to go into the hostel to use the kitchen and bathroom. Not to big a problem, only when you have to go in the middle of the night!
I also started looking for paid work. I had met a guy in Hanmer who's friend was a manager in the Rutherford hotel. He had given me the name and number and also called him himself to tell him about me. I don't know what he said but I managed to get the job! So now I'm waitressing in a 4 star seafood restaurant without any experience! I can tell you that it's quite interesting ;-). Just picture me struggling with heavy plates and trays full of wine glasses. Yes once again I feel amazingly incompetent and insecure but like they say here in NZ "She'll be all right!"
Last week Shaz and I had 2 days off and went to Abel Tasman. I had been there with Martha but didn't get very far seeing as I kind of broke down because of complete exhaustion, so this was attempt number 2. We stayed at Rose's place. Rose is such a warm and generous kiwi lady. Martha and I had experienced that before but it still amazes me that you can just ring up and she welcomes you in her home. We arrived on wednesday afternoon and walked over the beach to split apple rock. Crazy Tess the dog, led the way while climbing over the rocks to get there.
The next day we took the watertaxi to Tonga and started our 2 day journey. We walked about 4 hours to Torrent bay where we had to wait for low tide to make the crossing. On the beach we made ourselves a cup of tea with our camping stove thingie and enjoyed the view and sunshine. Just a shame those **ing little sandflies had to show up. The crossing was quick (you can walk a round but that takes you about 1,5u instead of 20 min) but painful. We walked barefoot over about a million shells joking about why they could just build a bridge.
The hut was nice and right on the beach. We made our dinner and although the hut was full of other people no one seemed to talk to us. We didn't even get a response to our Hi! We kind of figured we had to be invisible or just to cool to talk to ;-)! Anyway we enjoyed a candle light dinner, walk on the beach and when we came back at 8 everyone was in bed. We sat up talking and went to bed at 10 knowing that everybody would probably be up at 6 and wake us up. Luckily I had brought my earplugs because we had a snorer and that also kept us a sleep till 8!
With aching legs we walked out of the park at 12, drove to Nelson, did some shopping for my new job (needed black trousers and shoes) and started work at 6 in the hostel. I've decided to by a diary because trying to remember all the shifts for two jobs is bound to go wrong someday.
Well that's almost it.. Saturday, after my first day in the restaurant, we went to "the Phat club". Shaz new one of the band members from her trip to Australia 4 years ago and wanted to look her up. She managed to convince the whole hostel to come along, which turned out to be a blessing because now the band at least had a crowd of 8 people instead of 2! No ok that's not fair there where 18 people in total ;-)! The band was not to bad and after they had played we went to another bar. We were in bed at 3.30 with just a little bit to much to drink and the alarm at 8.30 to start work in the hostel ppfff.
Yesterday I had my first ever yoga class. It's Dru yoga, a special form. Liked it and gonna try to do that every week with Shaz. Just have to make sure it fits with my work. Better get ready for that anyway, start in 1 hour in the restaurant...
