Where the heck ??

Ah yes, about that... so I kind of disappeared for a while after my last deep and meaningful post. A while? Mmm okay, maybe a little more than a while, it seems it's been almost 4 months since the last time I wrote. What can I say? Time flies when you are having fun. And you know what a long break is going to mean.. it means a long catch up post is likely. You might want to get comfortable for this if you're intending to sit and read through it all.

It is hard to believe my 12 months in New Zealand is almost up and in just over a week I'll be winging my way back to Australia. Am I ready for that? Nope, not at all. Do I want to go back? Hmm trick question there. I can't wait to see my family again and am very much looking forward to catching up with my loved ones. That's a good reason to go back eh? Do I wish I was coming back here afterwards? Hell, yes! I'd much rather be living here for a variety of reasons.

My time here feels unfinished. I have loved every moment of living here and I feel incredibly lucky to have lived and worked in paradise. The climate suits me well and I love living in a place where there are very distinct seasons, each one having it's own beauty. To live in the southern alps and next to a huge lake that's so close to ski fields and national park has been my kind of bliss.

This place has nourished and nurtured my soul. It feels like home to me. I've become a part of this community and I've made some great friends. I've learned new skills, had many great experiences and explored places I hadn't seen before and some I didn't think I was quite capable of.

And festivals! Oh my gosh, New Zealand is a bit like festival central!  Each area seems to have some type of festival at various times of the year. It's been fantastic to experience some of those.

Autumn in the Otago region is nothing short of magnificent so it stands to reason there is a festival! What better way to celebrate the wonder of autumn than at the Arrowtown Autumn Festival. The back drop of trees to the town are gorgeous at any time but in autumn they are breathtaking. The changing colours are spectacular and seem to get more and more beautiful until they are done. It's a photographer's paradise, even for the very amateurish.

Autumn at Glendhu Bay didn't disappoint either and offered plenty of opportunities to appreciate the marvels of mother nature, watch the leaves falling and enjoy the golden carpet they left behind.

At the end of May I travelled down to the Bluff Oyster Festival, a really popular festival going by the large number of people who had made the trek down to the southern most town in NZ. There is a lot of ceremony around opening the festival and it has quite a Scottish feel to it.

The oyster is piped in with bagpipes and is presented to the Master of Ceremonies.  Next the Ode to the Oyster is read solemnly and with reverence.

We put you on a pedestal, oh oyster from the sea

You’re such a delicious delicacy, that’s where you deserve to be

We carry you from Foveaux Strait to the safety of the shore

And free you from your protective shell so the people can adore

A gem, a pearl set in Bluff’s crown, so proudly we display

Our oyster, in all it’s glory for all who are here today

Oh oyster, bounty of the sea, it gives us so much pleasure

To set before the world such a truly delectable treasure

The oyster is then tasted, declared delicious and the Festival is officially opened! It's time for the entertainment to begin with school children performing traditional Maori songs, dances and the haka. These kids were not only fantastic but also absolute troopers, the weather was freezing and they were in skimpy summer outfits and barefoot! Yet they performed for around 20 minutes. I sure hope they were able to get warm fairly quickly afterwards. 

Plenty more great entertainment after the school kids and I shouldn't forget to mention there was LOTS of food on offer, some things I'd never seen before such as some type of sea urchin that looked suspiciously like a hedgehog and very long lines of people waiting to taste the various delicacies.  

The weather hadn't been great that weekend so there were a few things I'd planned to do but had to shelve as it was too wet and soggy underfoot. Wet weather does not prevent a visit to the yarn shop though and I have to admit yarn found its way home with me. 

However, wet weather also meant there had been plenty of snow across the Crown Range and it was like a winter wonderland up there! Of course I had to stop at the summit to check it out more closely, take some photos, look at a couple of large snowmen and watch the kids tobogganing on the other side of the car park. And it was a perfect opportunity to do a quick video call home to share with family.

A week or so later was the Steampunk Festival in Oamaru. That was a rather cool festival to attend with a Fire and Steam street event to kick things off on the Friday evening, followed by a street parade the next morning. All kinds of activities including a steampunk market, tea dunking championships and a tea pot race! There were fabulous and somewhat elaborate costumes worn by steampunk enthusiasts all through the Victorian Precinct. 

On the way over, I'd planned to have a look at Elephant Rocks but there were cows everywhere. As in herds of cows were being moved from place to place on long stretches of road, so the parking area was full of cows. I found out later it was Gypsy Day - the day to move your cows from one farm to another. Who knew? The roads were much clearer on the way back, so I was able to go for a walk and check out these spectacular rock formations.

An inversion layer of cloud sat across much of the Lindis Pass going through both Omarama and Omematata on my trip over and back to Oamaru. There was a hoar frost that probably stayed there the whole time, given some of the beautiful icy photos I took at 4 in the afternoon! Rather pretty and also rather cold.

World Knit in Public Day was in June and needless to say, it was a somewhat cold blustery day to be sitting out on a street corner on couches knitting. Luckily, plenty of blankets (knitted of course) were provided to help combat the cold and the cafe had plenty of warm drinks on offer. It was a lively fun morning with women and children of various ages plus a few bursts of sunshine to warm things up a little.

I learnt about inversion layers during the early part of winter. Irritating low lying layers of cloud that sometimes sit for days above an area and other times it will burn off by early afternoon leaving a few hours of clear sky. I was up early one morning and saw one come in off the lake and wrap itself around the mountains where it stayed for much of the day. 

There are areas/towns that experienced many days in a row with an inversion layer, so when this happens it's worth the effort to go for a drive to somewhere above the layer to have a break and get a fix of blue skies and sunshine.

In June, the Matariki Festival was held on the Wanaka lake front. I did a little research to learn more and found that Matariki is the Maori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades that rise in mid winter and for many Maori, it heralds the start of a new year.  It's a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present and plan for the future. 

In Wanaka, Matariki was celebrated on the lake front as a community family event. Along with music and other entertainment was a hangi that was put on for the local community. For a gold coin donation, a meal was provided for the community. The elderly were fed first, followed by preschool children and their families, then the remainder of people.  The food was delicious and with two bonfires on the beach, there was some warmth from the chill in the air. My friend, her toddler and I settled in front of one to watch the fireworks that came afterwards.

Then of course is the Winter Festival in Queenstown. I didn't attend much of this as Queenstown is madness at the best of times, but there were so many more people around that parking was a nightmare. However, there was a Nordic Harp performance in the tiny hall at Cardrona that had it's own sense of unusual and quirky.  

Unusual in that the music was all set to scenic photo's from the Nordic area with a little history in the mix and the music was hauntingly beautiful. To close your eyes and listen added to the experience, although the music was so peaceful there was a danger in drifting off to sleep. 

An intermission during the evening provided home made scones with jam and cream which were served in addition to the coffee and tea. There was light snow and plenty of ice on the ground when we arrived and more by the time we left, but no black ice on the road thankfully.

I had my heart set on attending the Monteith Dog Derby and the Dog Barking Competition at Cardrona Ski Field but unfortunately didn't make it. Apparently it's a hoot and if the dog doesn't bark on the owner's command, then the owner has to bark instead. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to see this another winter.

Also in July, I was treated to a couple of visits from across the ditch by loved ones so it was nice to have the opportunity to show them around some of my favourite places and do a little more exploring with them. 

My sons bought me a Mother's Day gift voucher for dinner at the Skyline Restaurant in Queenstown, so it was a perfect opportunity to enjoy the experience with company. The food was incredible but can't say I'm as keen on the whole gondola experience at night, I think I prefer being able to see what's happening in daylight hours. Especially given the steepness of the gondola climb. 

We stayed in Arrowtown after the dinner and it was a rather crisp -5 the next morning. I'd bought a towel from the op shop the day before to cover my windscreen at night for frosts and it was frozen solid the next morning. Once we warmed up and got going, it was perfect opportunity to go for a walk and take some pics along the icy Arrow riverside.

One of the lovely things about working in the tourism industry is you learn about the different activities in your part of the world and sometimes have the opportunity to check them out as part of your work. I did a tour on a jet boat that followed the Matukituki River up into the valley of Mt Aspiring National Park. A fabulous way to experience the remote beauty of the national park, well beyond what you can get to by road.

I have absolutely loved the winter here and have had fun checking out different ski areas. Part of the fun/challenge for me has been getting my little car up the mountains and being bit of a tourist by making the most of photographic opportunities. 

As I've mentioned before, Treble Cone near where I live is one of my favourite places as the views are nothing short of spectacular even from the car park. On a clear day at Cardrona Ski Resort, you can see right across the valley through to Queenstown. The road up to the Remarkables Ski Field has a few larger areas where you can pull over and take photos of the Queenstown area. Coronet Peak ski area has beautiful views in all directions and I love the way it is lit up at night. You can see it from miles away. Round Hill Ski Area is on the eastern side of Lake Tekapo. With the glacier blue waters of the lake against the snow topped alps, the views are stunningly beautiful. 

The place I've had the most fun though is the Snow Farm, also at Cardrona where I had an absolute blast going down a hill on a tube numerous times. Great for the big kids who don't ski. I also had the opportunity to go on a dog sled ride which went across the tops of some of the back country. It would have to be one of the best experiences I've had so far, it's magic! I didn't drive the sled as I wanted to take pics, so I sat in the basket but driving also looked like a lot of fun. I'm hoping I can get at least one more visit into the Snow Farm before I leave here.

Well that's about it from me for now.  I'm unsure if I'll squeeze another post in before I head back to Australia or whether it will be a catch up one in a few weeks as there is still lots more to share from this adventure of mine. Thanks for reading :).

It's not all about you...

I am well aware I am not the only person on the planet. I'm not the only person who sometimes doesn't sleep well, I'm not the only person who has experienced or is experiencing grief, I'm not the only person who has decisions to make that may affect other people, I'm not the only person who has dreams others may not like or agree with, I'm not the only person who sometimes has a long day, I'm not the only person who lives far from their loved ones and on and on I could go! 

Each and every one of us experiences all of those things at different times, however, it does make you stop and think when someone feels the need to remind you of this. Particularly on Mum's birthday when the lingering grief was a little more raw. While I was seeking a distraction that day, I can't say this was the form of distraction I was looking for. 

It did, however, provide an opportunity for a reflection on life and where I currently fit into it. 

There may also have been a tinge of unhealthy obsession on those words and what they've meant throughout my life. I got to wondering about whether I am too wrapped up in things that are influencing me at present. Am I too selfish nowadays? Am I not able to make decisions on my own or have my own thoughts about things if they are different to others? Where do I actually fit into the equation and do I fit at all?

What can I say? Classic over-thinker! Sometimes I let things get to me a little more than I should and then I get a little defensive. I'm human and I am by no means perfect, let alone anywhere near it. Let's face it though, it hurts when people challenge you or question whether you are being considerate of others. 

Growing up, this was not so much a frequent phrase but the gist of the sentiment was to 'stop whinging, there are always others much worse off than you' or 'you have nothing to complain about and if you keep up the whinging, I'll give you something to whinge about'. I'm sure many of us heard those words or something similar at some time or another when we were kids. 

As a result, I grew up to be somewhat of a 'people-pleaser' and did what ever I could to make those around me happy. Regardless of whether it was what I wanted, believed in or felt strongly about. For much of my life, I put my own wants/needs/dreams aside for those I was closest to. Some might say it's part of the conditioning and/or expectations of women, others may believe those expectations don't discriminate and can be something both men and women do.

Either way, it's not entirely healthy.  The whole notion of 'selfish' usually has such a negative spin to it, yet there's no allowance in that line of thinking for the focus on ones self when we need to. 

I agree there are definitely times for compromise, after all, day to day life is often all about compromise, is it not? Shall I take this road to town or that road? I love the drive on this road and it's usually quicker, but I have to do x, y and z this morning which are all closer to that road, so I'll take that one.  A very simple example, but you get what I mean. 

Anyway, I eventually learned it was also important to stand up for myself and there are times when it is perfectly okay not to compromise. Unfortunately, I'm not always good at this standing up for myself and can sometimes go a little overboard as I try to find the right balance. 

That said, we are all responsible for our own happiness, as in it's an inside job and not anyone else's responsibility in any shape or form. Now I'm in my, gulp, 50's (how the heck did that happen so fast!) it is up to me to start making decisions and doing what feels right for me.  

It does not mean I don't care about others at all. It means I am finally respecting myself enough to do and express the things that are important to me. Much of my work has been with vulnerable people, I have volunteered for many years and have always tried my best to be available in some way when my family or close friends have needed me. I think those things surely speak for themselves when it comes to being very aware it's not all about me. And yes, I admit there are still plenty of times when I do things I don't particularly want to do because it makes someone else happier.

However, again it's about balance which can be quite a juggling act at times. Staying true to myself while caring about those I love. I guess to some extent it's also about boundaries. How much I'm willing to take on before I need to set a boundary for my own self care. I've not always been good at the self care thing either, but at least I now recognise when I need to take time out.

Coming to NZ to live was a combination of things. It was following a dream, it was about ensuring I don't get to the end of my life with big regrets as Mum did, but it was also in part about self care. As mentioned, I've spent a lot of time caring for others - family, friends, people in our community and this trip is caring for me. So in that sense, I guess you could say this trip is all about me.

My decision on what to do with my life while I'm here and at the end of 12 months here, is again, all about me and what feels right for me. It's taken me a lifetime to get to this point where I've started to treat myself as I treat those around me - with care, compassion and respect. It also takes a myriad of factors into consideration - some about me, others not but essentially the final decision about my life and what I do with it sits with me.

I have to admit, I had some fairly firm expectations of what I'd do while here and I'm a little disappointed with myself that I've not followed through with some of them. There are obviously various reasons I've not followed through, including a lack of time management - although this was partly about wanting to relax and just soak things up which I've loved every moment of, financial limitations and sometimes simply not setting boundaries where I needed to. 

Life is one big learning curve though and there is plenty I've learnt since moving here and while I've not seen or done everything I had hoped to by now, I am deeply grateful I have had the opportunity to come on this adventure and experience so much already. 

One of the things I love about travelling alone is that I can change my mind at the drop of a hat. I can decide to do a day trip at the last minute, I can change my mind on a weekend away I was thinking of doing, I can stop and take a gazillion photo's if I want to and I can sit in a cafe with a chai and my journal for as long as it takes me to write what I want to write.

The last couple of weeks have been a little rough at times with the anniversary of Mum's passing, her birthday and Mother's Day all falling within two weeks. I am probably a little more sensitive at the moment, so made plans for the two weekends I thought may be the hardest to handle in order to have some distraction and time out.

Two weeks ago, I went and stayed at a beautiful little B & B out in the country about half an hour or so from Christchurch. On the anniversary of Mum's passing, I did a nature cruise out from Akaroa. I found the history of the area fascinating and was told Akaroa Harbour is in a volcanic crater that had the side blown out during the last eruption which had allowed the Pacific Ocean to come in and form the harbour.

You can see the volcanic layers in the rock and there are many little caves formed from bubbles in the lava. There is plenty of bird life, some with intriguing hierarchy such as the shags - remember the saying shag on a rock? haha, I think that's where it comes from! The mature shags get to sit on white rocks set a little higher and the juvenile shags are not allowed there, they have to stay on the lower rocks nearby.

There were plenty of NZ fur seal pups playing in pools created by the volcanic rock and some seemed to love having an audience to show off to. In this part of the coastline, the world's smallest dolphins can be found. The Hector Dolphins are endangered, rather cute, very energetic and were somewhat elusive the day I was out. I did see a couple of small pods but not for long, so I would love to go back again some day and hopefully see more of them.

On my way back from Akaroa, I went for a drive up to an Alpaca Farm near Barry's Bay. Not to do a farm tour, but to check out the alpaca yarn. Mind you, the alpaca's are gorgeous too and had the most magnificent view from the top of a mountain across the bay. 

The road up to the farm is a steep uphill one way drive winding up around the mountain with nowhere to pull over and take pics. At the top, they have to call someone to check the road and stay at the bottom to ensure no one else starts to drive up, before you can make the drive back down. As for the alpaca yarn, it's beautiful and ever so soft. And yes, some followed me home.

The next morning I went into Christchurch to a farmers market at Riccarton which was in one of the most picturesque areas I've seen for a market. Thoroughly enjoyed it despite the drizzling rain and had the best chai ever from a stall called The Chai Tent.

Before leaving Christchurch, I went into have a look at the 185 Empty White Chairs in the city. It is a beautiful, poignant and sobering memorial to the 185 people who lost their lives in the 2011 earthquake. Life certainly can not be taken for granted.

The Hororata Night Glow, a hot air balloon festival, was scheduled to take place on the Saturday night. Unfortunately, due to bad weather, it was postponed until the following night with the proviso that it would definitely go ahead, however, if the bad weather continued the balloons would not be performing. When I say performing, they were going to be lit up against the night sky. 

On the Sunday morning, after heavy rain all night and still more heavy rain, I made the decision to head home. It rained heavily for much of the way and thankfully, flooding in a couple of areas had subsided enough for me to get through without any hassle. I found out the next day the balloons ended up going ahead after the weather cleared in the afternoon. Ah well, I will just have to return another time!

The exciting part for me that day was coming into Tekapo and I noticed the rain was making a slightly different noise when it hit the windscreen. A few moments later, I realised it was sleet and it wasn't too long before it was snowing. I was thrilled and of course, had to stop to take photo's and a short video clip. I wonder if that sense of excitement will wear off by the time mid winter rolls around!

On my next weekend off, I went for a day trip to St Bathan's which was once a thriving, bustling gold mining town. It now has less than 10 inhabitants, no shops and one hotel that opens daily for meals. It's reportedly haunted and you can stay overnight in Room 1 with the ghost of Rose if you so desire.

The town is set adjacent to Blue Lake which was man made for sluicing when they were gold mining. The lake is stunning on a clear day and mirrors the surroundings perfectly.

This last weekend was a very unsettled one for me. I had originally decided to go to Mt Cook for the weekend, however, the weather forecast was not great so I decided to cancel those plans and stay a little closer to home. Mt Cook is one of those remote places that is spectacular when the weather is fine but not really visible when it's raining and I didn't fancy doing any walks in the cold and rain. 

Instead I read a book, went to the movies at my favourite theatre and saw The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, then the next day checked out the little cinema and bookstore at Arrowtown. Perhaps I shouldn't mention it is basically across from the wool store and I really should not go in just to 'look', because it always turns into a little more than looking!

Speaking of wool and knitting, I'm very much enjoying this creative foray with yarn and have now produced a couple of hopefully useful items with a few new projects lined up.

All in all, this post has been a rather deep and meaningful reflective type of post, so I thank you if you've waded through my whining and self reflection to make it all the way to the end. 

Until next time...

Grief actually, is all around...

It has been a year since Mum passed. A year of reflection, change, sadness, joy and on occasions that almost overwhelming grief. So many things I would still love to do with her, conversations to have over a cup of tea or a lovely meal, experiences to share and enjoy. Our time is so precious, isn't it?

I found Mum's funeral awful, not just for the obvious reasons but because it seemed so impersonal. I have to share some of the blame for that. I made an assumption that the minister leading Mum's funeral knew her well. It seems he didn't and instead her funeral service came across more as a sermon rather than the celebration of a life well lived. 

There was no sharing of Mum's story, who she was, what she was about, what was important to her (other than her faith) and the life she lived. It was a missed opportunity to share about all those special things that made Mum who she was. She had strength and grace and a great sense of humour. While she had some views I didn't always agree with (I'm sure that's the same for many parent/child relationships!), she had a depth of compassion that I've come to appreciate more and more as I've grown older. She is missed in so many ways!

My move to NZ was something I had been mulling over for some time. When Mum passed, I found myself in turmoil, struggling to make a decision one way or another, then doubting decisions I had made. Eventually through it all, I decided to go ahead and take this year as some time out to reflect, to write and to explore the world around me a little more.

I also wanted to have a little space to deal with the grief or to be honest, to fill my life with new experiences in a bid to try not to think about it all so much. But grief's not like that is it? We can't run away from it, doesn't matter where we are. 

I've always been aware of that and I guess I just thought this would be another, perhaps more positive way to deal with it, put it back in it's box so to speak. It still pops up to greet me though, usually when I least expect it.

And here's the rub. I started work in the most beautiful place, a place that is restful, calming and healing for the soul up in the mountains and by the lake. 

And wouldn't you know, it turned out to be a place where others I was in close contact with during day to day life, had also experienced very recent grief and loss of their own. 

Additionally, within weeks of starting work here, there were two drownings in the lake and a para glider who was a much loved and respected local died on the mountain right beside work. At New Year, two of my family members lost loved ones in terrible circumstances and a little while later, I received news of a friend who'd also passed in tragic accident. Then there was the passing of a long term regular guest to my work place.

It was a big loud reminder that it doesn't matter what you do or where you go, tragedy and sadness is all around and at different times in life, we all experience grief and loss. You can't outrun it, you can't dodge it, you can't hide from it or pretend it doesn't exist because it does. Essentially, it can and will find you one way or another. 

Speaking of which, the other irony has been around things I believed (or told myself) had been dealt with long ago. They all of a sudden started to pop up for a re-visit. It kind of goes like this... Ooh so it seems you're not quite finished with this, let's just bring that to the forefront for you to notice once again. What's there for you now? Is that a wee bit uncomfortable? Are there any lessons to be learnt or reflections to be had? Isn't it interesting how life works sometimes!

I think the reality is most of us are coping or managing to live through some type of grief at any given time. The line from the movie that says 'Love Actually, is all around'... could easily be substituted with the word grief. 

Grief actually, is all around...  

Love is talked about whereas grief can be seen as harder to discuss because of the emotions that come with it. People are often uncomfortable with that. Yet they are so interlinked to my way of thinking. As Queen Elizabeth II said, grief is the price we pay for love.

I've come to think it's also about acceptance, gratefulness, life lessons or reminders, the development of wisdom, empathy and compassion all rolled in together perhaps with a touch of some good old fashioned grace. 

All of these deep and meaningful reflections around grief have provided yet another clear reminder to me how short and how tenuous life is. How important it is to do the things I have a burning desire to do, to chase my dreams and make them happen, to experience as much as I'd like to experience, to tell my loved ones that I love them, to let people know they are appreciated, to try not to let things weigh me down (easier said than done at times, I know!), to look for the positives rather than the negatives and last but not least, to be grateful. 

I tend to be bit of a worrier at times and although I still have around 5 months before I need to return to Australia, I've already been thinking about how hard it's going to be to leave this place. And it will be very hard, I know that. I feel at home here and at peace. There's a part of me that does not want to leave. I absolutely love it and it holds a very special place in my heart. 

However, when I was thinking about all this recently, the words popped into my head ... 'don't be sad that it's over, be grateful that it happened'. I've seen and heard this said before and I'm so glad those words came to me again. Very appropriate timing! 

So with those words in mind, I will continue living each day with an attitude of gratitude, appreciating who and what is around me and look forward to seeing what each day brings. I will do what is right for me, follow my dreams and aim to live with few regrets.

Today on this first anniversary of Mum's death, I was very conscious of being here in another country away from my loved ones. I don't regret my choice to be here at all, but it's moments like these when I have that little twinge of 'I wish...'

I made plans to go away for the weekend and do a little exploring. It's such a gorgeous time of year to travel with the autumn colours. Late yesterday afternoon, I decided I'd do a nature cruise today at Akaroa. It turns out there was only myself and one other person on the cruise, plus two crew of course. How blessed was that? It was a truly wonderful way to enjoy the elements of nature without a crowd.

Living my dream

I feel so incredibly lucky to be enjoying life here in New Zealand. I love the very distinct seasons, each one arriving with noticeable changes to the temperatures and the landscape. Not to mention the little quirks such as sudden cold snaps mid summer that bring snow in the same week as over 30 degree (celcius) temperatures!

It's now autumn and the changing colours of the trees are gorgeous. The weather has cooled significantly and as I type, we are in the midst of another cold front that is bringing snow. Those who know me well are aware this means another flurry of snow pics are likely.

The summer was a little warmer than I expected but it is a much dryer (and for me, much more manageable!) heat than the tropical summers I've been experiencing the last few years. I can't say I missed the tropical humidity at all and it's nice to have a much shorter summer than I've been used to. 

The camp site where I've been working was like a mini town during the summer with up to 1500 campers on site at any given time during the last week of December and all of January. In the evenings there would be groups of people socialising together and in the mornings I'd often wake to the sounds of jet boats starting up and skimming across the lake.

What I loved seeing was the little gangs or groups of kids everywhere. Kids on pushbikes everywhere, meet ups at the playground, fun in the lake, excitement at seeing their friends again and new friends made. Hearing kids ask each other what they've been doing, where they're from, how long they're staying here and everything else in between.  

It was an incredibly busy time in the work place and I was blown away by the number of tourists through the summer season. There was nothing quiet about this little town I fell in love with some years ago, it was bumper to bumper tourists and I quickly learnt the supermarket is definitely not the place to be in the late afternoon/early evening. I admit to finding a little amusement in photographing the tourists taking photos.

Adding to the population explosion through summer was the large number of sporting events such as triathlons, national sky diving championships, jet boat races, cross country type bike races, and the rodeo to name a few. Mix them in with a couple of music festivals, the A & P Show and Warbirds Over Wanaka, it makes for a very hectic season.

The busyness in this area meant I started to explore a little further afield and I'd often shop at neighbouring towns instead. I discovered a few more favourite places and was able to buy delicious summer stone fruits from roadside stalls. 

The cherries are to die for, both the red and white varieties and the plums are just the best. They seemed to follow me home each week and of course, apricots, nectarines and peaches all had a regular tasting too. Late summer brought the tastiest apples ever on the straggliest looking little tree at work. Nothing quite like living in a fruit growing area!

During the summer I also made the difficult decision to move out of where I'd been staying and live on site at work. I loved where I'd been living and my house mates were great to co-habit with, so it wasn't an easy decision and I was sad to leave. 

I was initially living in a basic little cabin on site for 6-8 weeks, before moving to a bus for a month, then into a little caravan. It's all been an experience in itself and has been lots of fun in many ways. The best part is when I open the door each morning and my first sight is of the lake and the mountains, right at my doorstep! I never ever get tired of that.

In other news/updates/observations/ramblings from my adventures over the last couple of months -there are two movie theatres in town, one I've mentioned before is the quirky little Cinema Paradiso.  The other is Ruby's which is the complete opposite and has a style and a grace that almost reminds you of yesteryear where going to the movies was an outing in itself. 

Their movie theatres are small and intimate - the larger one holds around 37 people and the smaller one holds about 12. The seats are leather and oh so comfortable, with recliners in the smaller theatre. They have a small bar and will bring pre-ordered drinks/snacks into you at intermission. Going to the movies at Ruby's feels like a real treat and is one I've enjoyed a couple of times now.

In March, the local Agricultural & Pastoral Show was hosted at the grounds in the centre of town. It was great to see so many local stalls displaying everything you can think of and more. What I really loved was the fact there was no sideshow alley like many of the Aussie shows have, that are noisy, over priced and appear to have more focus on rides rather than showing more of what the local area is about. I had a lovely few hours wandering and enjoying all that was on display.

I went horse riding last month, something I'd been wanting to do again since the last time I was here. There is an equestrian centre not too far from where I work and the rides go through a forested area and a vineyard that has picturesque views of the lake. 

Having spent much of my spare time as a teenager riding horses, it's one of those things I regret not continuing over the years. I'm older, stiffer and not quite as flexible as I once was though. For some reason my knee's decided it was time to make their presence felt in the most unpleasant fashion. Despite all that, I'm no quitter and I want to try again. And perhaps again. And maybe again, just to be sure. 

I was recently gifted a pre-loved push bike and have been re-acquainting myself with the art of riding a bike gracefully. I'm nowhere near graceful yet, still rather wobbly in fact and after an eventful ride beyond the campground, I quickly realised it would have been really helpful to know how to change gears before I left and was faced with some steep little hilly bits. 

On reaching my destination I also realised I'd somehow popped the chain off and had no idea how to put it back on so the bike and I had a leisurely walk back. I've decided it's probably best I stick within the camp ground for now until I'm more confident and less wobbly. The camp ground is 1.3 km long and is flat, so plenty long enough for a decent ride and the flat part probably helps immensely in this stage of my re-acquaintance.

I started doing a market stall at the base of the Remarkable's in Queenstown.  It's a good little market with a lovely atmosphere in a beautiful location. The markets weren't as successful for me as I'd hoped, however, I had a lot of fun, met some nice people and it was another great experience that I will very likely do again in another location.

Oh and there is a little knitting news, yes I'm still knitting and I've actually made some useful things just recently. I made myself a beanie last week ready for the cold weather, along with some baby booties for a gift. This week I've started on a scarf as I somehow left my warm ones back in Aus. I have another couple of projects lined up, so it seems I may be a little hooked on this knitting thing. Knit Club started back last week with 18 people turning up. Lots of fun and laughter and knitting as always.

In my 'spare' time I enjoy getting out and about to soak up the scenery. There are lots of lovely walks, some short and others not as short, other times I drive just for the sake of seeing what's around the next corner or over that hill!

Oh and did I mention that autumn is beautiful so far?

Well that's about it for my belated catch up. The weather has turned rather cold and we've some snow about on the mountains. We're expecting some below zero temps a few nights this week, so it's a taste of what's to come in winter no doubt!

 

Until next time...