Loving New Zealand life

So much has gone on the last few days!  I am really loving it, running around Blenheim, meeting so many new people every day.

Where to start?  I guess Wednesday...did some errands then went over to Tony's...we had dinner at Michelle's place, she's a Canadian woman in her late 30's or early 40's I think, and from Whistler.  So much lamb here!  And so cheeeeap, I'm in heaven.  Delicious.  Then Calvin (also Canadian) and Emily (from Idaho, but when to UBC in Van) came over, we poured our selves some very expensive and very shitty Gin and tonics and walked down to a bar.  Pretty cool you can run around with an open container, just not downtown.  Makes pre-partying so easy!

Thursday I went with a bunch of other people from the backpackers around here to pick a small vineyard, no pay but the owner threw us a bbq and had lots of beer!  The picking was supposed to be only 1.5 hours, but we ended up picking for about 4 hours, and didn't quite finish even!  Some people were pretty upset, but I had a good time getting to be in the vineyard and made some new friends.

I was the only American doing the free picking, I hung out with a couple nice German girls, and the Irish guys, a Frenchman and a Bavarian.  Europeans come here to travel, and then get contract work usually in the vineyard.  I explained to them that the Americans (all from Wash, OR, and Cali) come to work at the wineries and travel secondary (a very big plus).  After being outside picking we were quite tired, so rested a bit then went to the BBQ.  Again, some people were pretty upset, it wasn't quite the spread we were promised, but again, I was just glad to get free dinner and beer!

Afterwards went out to Paddy Barry's to celebrate St. Patty's!  It was a rad party, with a cool coverband.  No green beer here, and their shots are tiny!  But of course drank loads of beer and some shots of Jamo!  Stuck with the Irish guys I had worked with that day (and who were staying at Copper Beech), so it was very authentic, haha.  Lots of yelling, singing and doing jigs!

I said before that I was looking for different housing situation, but I'm actually loving Copper Beech backpackers so definitely plan to stay. It's so close to downtown, a super short walk to the grocery and the library (and everything else downtown).  One of my roommates has a car, so there is transportation to work (he also works at Indevin).  The bathrooms are cleaned everyday, and the kitchen has strict rules on cleaning you dishes so I don't have to worry about a messy kitchen!!  Big backyard, free laundry, game and tv room...and wonderful people coming and going.  Quite a lot of Germans. Everywhere.

Yesterday, I went out to White's Bay with Rory and Nile (Irishmen), and it was breathtakingly beautiful.  Rory was trying to catch some fish off the rocks, Nile and I just laid on the beach and took it in.  Waded around the water a bit, not too cold.  Got my toe pinched a bit by a little sandcrab, that scared the sh** outta me!  Then I went looking for the crab, of course, and stepped on the little bugger...That freaked HIM out, so I guess we're even.








Had a pre-harvest party last night thrown by Indevin.  Quite a bit of Marlborough Cuvee sparking wine, and not enough appetizers.  Was great meeting other people I'll be working with, and found TWO MORE Cal Poly kids, haha and a Washingtonian or two.  We're everywhere.  Met a few of the managers/winemakers and they were all very nice so that is good.

After the party we headed back to the Grovetown pub and put back some more wine!  Not enough food, and too much wine last night....had a good time but quite tired today. 



Cheers!