Weeks 10 & 11

I am a bit late in this post, seems to be the norm these days. Again in quick style so that I can bring you up to speed. These weeks I put in my two weeks notice at work (which is weird to say now that I am no longer working there), I learned a bit of Japanese, watched the exciting NCAA tourny, hiked Ben Lomond Peak, sampled some local brews from the Arrowtown Brewing Company, and began one of many bonding sessions with friends to say good bye and/or spend more time together before we left this crazy town. We have also been getting ready for the Routeburn track - a 4 day backpacking trip we have planned!

a brew with our flatmate at the ABC


hot sake with one of my co-workers

8 & 9 Week

Our big Milford Sound trip was last weekend and it was amazing! Every direction we looked was a breathtaking vista, hence all the pictures in this post. It is also a combined two week post as it was a very busy social week. Between our camping/hiking/cruising trip, a going away party, a birthday party and getting rid of my bike most of our free time was spent socializing.

As our Milford weekend came closer the weather was looking promising, warm and sunny. We left just after sunrise on Saturday morning and started our trip with a drive up the Remarkables since Andrea had not yet been up there. View was amazing. See for yourself below.
The excitement continued as we made our way towards Te Anau and Milford Sound. While driving I felt like we stopped quite a number of times to take pictures and soak in the scenery.
Drove and drove until we made it to our 1st choice of campground in hopes that it was not full. Success, we landed in the Cascade Creek campground and set up camp. We quickly ate some lunch and packed some snacks and water for our hike up to the Gertrude Saddle. Hopped in the car and drove a few more km's towards Milford Sound then stopped at our destination. When we pulled into the parking lot, our mouths were on the ground. A co-worker recommended the hike and described it to me, but seeing it with my own eyes was worth a million indescribable words.
The summit or saddle rather rewarded us with a view all the way to Milford Sound and the surrounding mountains. Just as we were about to the saddle, we met two other Americans from the NYC area. We started talking and before we knew it we hiked all the way down with them and exchanged contact info, because why not? Back to camp for an earned dinner, a struggling campfire and some rest. I woke up a few times during the night as the moon was nearly full and thus very bright, but it was a good thing as I could see the mountains in the moonlight. That does not happen all that often. Then I set my mental alarm clock for sunrise so I could get some good pictures, and sure enough I woke at dawn to watch the sunrise and show its rays on the mountains. After playing around a bit and waiting for Andrea to wake, I fixed some breaky (breakfast). We ate, packed up and then started the drive to Milford Sound, through the Homer Tunnel and on to the ocean! Day two was full of excitement. It was a beautiful day, despite a very cool night and morning. Again, with our jaws to the floor the entire drive we made it to the sound at about 9:30 am. Relaxed a bit, and then headed to our boat for a lunch time cruise of the sound. An hour and a half of being on the water and seeing the sound from a different perspective showed us how beautiful and unique this area truly was. The mountains rose directly out of the water.
After the cruise we took our time and enjoyed the scenery as we slowly prepared for our journey back towards Te Anau and Queenstown, stopping at many sites along the way. It was still midday as we made out way to the Chasm, a quick walk to a spot where the Cleddau River quickly falls several meters and shapes the unique rock formations. Swirling water over time has given the Chasm an array of circular and rounded indentations all while flowing through a canyon with very steep side walls. I had previously been told of an area where one could jump into the refreshingly cold and crystal clear water at a height of approximately 25 ft. We found the secret spot, and coincidentally our flatmate who happened to be in the area as well, watched as a few friends jumped in and then jumped in myself. Brrrrrrrr.
Whew... just thinking about that again and it was great fun!

From the Chasm to Te Anau, we stopped at a few other places to take some photos and attempt to capture our time in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. All during this time our poor little Rav4 rental was making its way towards an empty tank and our minds were becoming weary of running out of fuel. *Backflash* On our way towards Milford Sound the first day there was a very important sign stating that fuel was not available at Milford Sound. We had a half a tank at this point and I had no doubt in my mind we would have plenty of petrol. *End Backflash* As our needle hit the E we still had nearly 65 kms left, but the fuel light indicator had not come on yet, which was giving me much hope, ha. We kept eeking closer and closer to Te Anau and the needle keept dropping further and further. My foot on the accelerator became very faint and every slight change in pitch of the road made me feel like the car had finally run out of fuel. Somehow by some magical powers fuel fumes we managed to make it to Te Anau and filled 'er up. Sigh of relief... we both were expecting the Rav4 to quit, but not this day and this place.

Once in Te Anau we found a spot to grab a bite to eat just before we had planned on attending the Fiordland Cinema which was showcasing a movie about the Southland Region - Ata Whenua. A local helicopter pilot had spent 6 years taking footage on the area and the differing seasons, and with a little bit of help from the LOTR crew was able to put together a short 35 minute film. It was similar to an IMAX film with incredible footage. Afterwards we began our drive home and were feeling lucky to have seen such a beautiful landscape!
The sun setting our our way back to Queenstown.

Another great adventure I went on was a birthday celebration for one of my co-workers. We had organized a wine tasting through work at the Gibbston Valley Winery just outside of town. It was a perfect day to sit outside and enjoy a glass or two, especially when they were given for free. Since we sell their wine at work we were able to take the tour and have a few bottles to sample for free whilst we celebrated Aneta's birthday. This picture is where the actual tasting took place, in the cellars or caves amongst the barrels. After the tour we chatted outside at a picnic table under an umbrella while we enjoyed a few more glasses. There Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris was my favorite.
Last but not least is the selling of my NZ bike. This was a great thing as I sold it for more than I originally paid for it and put minimal work into cleaning it up. Nothing like a quick fix and some extra cash in the pocket. It was great to have for a quick ride to work or a ride up the road for some exercise, but I was happy to sell 'er off. Makes me want to buy the frame I want back at home and build the bike of my dreams. One that I can hop on to get around town, one that I can possibly race in a cyclocross race, or one that I could throw a rack and some panniers on and tour the world. This bike is the Surly Cross Check. Size 58 cm and light grey in color please.

Cheers, 2 more weeks + 4 days in Queenstown.

Week 7

The newest excitement is the map you see below! We have plans to be on it starting in April. During a morning/afternoon off for me and a day off for Andrea we decided to get the Routeburn Track booked. We will be completing the Routeburn Track from east to west and then connecting the Caples Track to make it a loop. One night in the Routeburn Falls Hut, one night in our tent at Lake Mackenzie Campground and another night in the tent near the Upper Caples Hut. We are both pretty excited to get some nights under the southern stars.

This upcoming weekend is our planned weekend off together, we do not have many days off together. We are going to make the drive to Milford Sound on Saturday morning. It is said to be about a 3 hour drive, and a most beautiful one. A few things still need to be finalized but it is on the books and we are going to camp/hike/sight see the infamous Milford Sound. Everyone says that a cruise is a must do, thus we may take a short cruise on the water to get the full experience.
Hopefully the weather cooperates and allows for some magnificent views. The excitement will be building all week long.

This past Thursday was an evening where a few co-workers and friends were out 'n about on the town after work doing what Queenstowners do best, drinking until the wee hours of the night. After a good evening at work, I decided I should tag along for a few beverages to socialize with my co-workers outside of work. I stopped at one establishment to pick up Andrea and found that she was hanging out with my long lost friends whom I have not seen since starting my job. We cheersed a few beers then headed out to meet my cohort of friends. Walked a few blocks to a place neither one of us had been to find the dance floor filled with my friends from the US, Canada, Korea, Ireland & the Czech Republic. Andrea finally met them and vice versa. Good times were had until about 2 am when a few of us started to get a bit tired. The Irishman, myself and Andrea said our goodbyes and headed up the hill. A good night.

The next day was my friday, but I did not have to work until 5pm at the restaurant. These days are a bit of an irony as I have all morning to do as I please, yet all day the thought of a days worth of work is always a cloud over my head. This 'Friday' of mine, which happened to be the real Friday I woke up and had a day planned with the Drew Bros. (Our flatmate Dave's brothers were visiting for their fathers 70th). We started the day right with a good breaky and coffee at a small joint in town. Then we decided to make the drive up to the Remarkables ski are for a varying vantage point of the surrounding areas (I did not have our camera, thus no pictures yet). It was incredible or should I say Remarkable! This gravel road was quite steep and windy but the 'sewing machine rental car,' as one brother called it made the trip. amazing views on the perfect day. After that trip we then decided we had enough time to drive to the neighboring town of Wanaka for a quick bite and brew. This drive was yet another one with views around every corner. We arrived back in Queenstown just in time for me to head up the gondola for an evenings worth of work. I was exhausted and glad I had two days off to look forward to.

On other notes...
I have updated my photos via facebook if you care to take a look.
Andrea and I have come to love this little product and its manufacturer. Lisa's hummus and dips are the most amazing we have ever tried. They are based out of NZ and I am awaiting an email to see whether they distribute to the states. Yes, I did inquire to see whether they distribute outside of NZ. If you ever get the chance to try them you will understand. The Jalepeno and Lime is by far our favorite. sigh... I look forward to the next time I get to hang out with the dip and a brew.
Cheers.

6 week +3 days

Time is beginning to fly here as we have hit the 6th week. As I am still working many hours I have seemed to miss my last weekly post, thus here it is in list form....

Worked
Fixed my bike tires
Tracy & Scott arrived back from Christchurch
Grilled some lamb and veggies
Went on a midnight hike to view some local glowworms
Made and ate some cookies
We saw Tracy & Scott off back to Seattle, it was great having them in town
Worked
Got to know the staff at work more personally, they are fun
Watched Olympics
Am no longer the newbie at work (there is another American from Wisconsin)
Have ridden the gondola several times now
Worked
Drank a few beers
Rode my bike up a big hill and then ran, inspired by Vancouver 2010
Finally jumped in the refreshingly cool Lake Wakatipu
Worked
Occasionally hung out with Andrea when time allowed
Hiked the Fernhill Loop, pictures below
Got paid
Researched multiple day tracks (backpacking)
Watched more Olympics

Five Week +2 days

It has been over a month now, and it feels pretty comfy and exhausting. Working a lot and adjusting to the new schedule, which explains the '+ 2 days' in the title. I am working 50 hour work weeks during this busy time at the restaurant and thus missed my target date for an update every Saturday. Mainly working evenings until midnight and on occasion a full day of lunch, dinner prep, dinner, then prep for the next day. Those days are long, yet it feels good to work 40+ hours and get paid for it so I can start saving for our next adventure which at the moment happens to be Milford Sound on the weekend of March 6. We have to plan a bit more as our schedules do not match up well. Andrea goes to work during the day from 11-7 usually and I am gone to work when she arrives back. Then I arrive back at home when she is usually in bed. We are kinda bummed about it, but just have the understanding that we have the mornings together and the fact that we are going to work a lot now and save our money for the fun times ahead.

On other working notes, we are both liking our jobs. Andrea likes the people she is working with and I the same. I feel like I am in a bit of an international arena. Korean, French, Great Britain, Canadian, Brazilian, Romanian, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, Czech Republic, and American. Everyone is fun and friendly despite the 12 hour work days occasionally. It is a very social group. People getting together to do many activities for whatever reason.

Scott skipping rocks on the Shotover River

Other than work, I have been able to spend a few more moments with Tracy & Scott while they are in the Queenstown area. They rented a car and had a little tour of the area before they headed to Te Anau/Milford Sound and discovered some new scenery.

Scott is reminded by a sticker on the dash to drive on the left side of the raod.

We drove the scenic 60 kms to Glenorchy to see the beautiful area and get in a small hike. We were hoping to spot some orcs or hobbits as it is one of the places visited by LOTR tours. No luck, although I did feel a bit like I was in Middle Earth somewhere.

In Glenorchy

Tracy & Scott have since been in Christchurch and arrive back tomorrow afternoon for one last day.

Four Week

Just some fun camper vans.

As we have been getting more and more settled in, week four was the climax of us becoming locals. We moved into our new place on Strawberry Lane and its fabulous in so many ways. Our flatmates are overly nice and easy going. We are much closer to town, not to mention that the 20 minute walk to town is one giant view the whole time, see picture below. It starts by walking down a steep hill with amazing views of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains of the Remarkables, Mt. Cecil and Mt. Walker. Once at the bottom of the hill there is a city park walkway along the lake's edge all the way into town. People are out sunning themselves, reading, cooking at the barbecue, napping, having a hui - the Maori term for a meeting, jumping off the wharf into the frigid waters to cool off, relaxing with some beer/wine, doing their dishes from their camper van, you name it. New place, new people and we needed new groceries to fill our empty cupboard.

We embarked on an afternoon full of errands... getting groceries was an adventure for us. We wanted to head just out of town to the grocery store that was less expensive, but more importantly had much more of a selection. Not having a car is what made it interesting. We emptied our backpacks and and hopped on the bus with our list of items we needed. Made it around to 3 different stores to purchase the necessary items to make our new place feel like home, loaded our bags to the brim and then carried even more to the bus stop. Timing worked out perfect as the bus pulled right up as we sat down. The hot sun beating down on our ice cream was not very forgiving, but alas we made it home with everything we wanted. It felt great to have a place to call home during our adventure, small herb garden included. Considering our exhausting day, Andrea and I decided to treat ourselves to dinner to celebrate our new chapter. We both have jobs, a new place, fantastic flatmates, a shorter beautiful walk to town and a relaxed soul.

Dre skips some rocks, there are endless perfect skipping rocks.

Thursday was my first day of work, I was due in to go over some paperwork. Rode the gondola up took care of everything and had expected to ride the gondola back down in a few hours, but what they had not told me was that myself and the one other new employee where scheduled to have a training night. Thus I was sent to change into my new uniform, eat and then be ready to start my training. I was thrown right in and was not prepared at all as I was thinking in my mind that I was going to have a lazy evening with Andrea on the waterfront with a few glasses of wine... not tonight. First days, per usual, are a lot of information to digest and can be quite stressful. I was exhausted after the first day and made it through the evening with only spilling two glasses of wine on one lady wearing a white sweater, no big deal (heavy sarcasm). I felt so bad at the time and was very apologetic, but in hindsight with everybody telling me their accident stories I could look back and laugh about the matter. I am laughing right now as I type, ha. After that first day, everything was quite simple and days 2 and 3 were a piece of cake. The view from the restaurant is breathtaking and every so often a para glider will float on by, a victim will jump from the bungy platform below, and a helicopter will fly in to pick up or drop off some visitors. I am happy to content with working at the restaurant despite the late nights and demanding labor. The employees are all enjoyable and from all over the world. It is fun to talk to everyone about their travels, future plans, or hometown.

After 3 days of work, my schedule allowed for some time off while Tracy & Scott are due to visit. They just arrived and I am excited to have them here to visit. I am excited for them to have an adventure, they have some great plans ahead.

"Just another day in paradise," I have been noticing myself use this one quite a bit lately. Mainly when I take a moment to look at my surroundings and take in the beauty of this country.

Cheers Mates.

Room w/ A View

Looking through a giant 10'x 6' window in our new flat. We finally feel settled! Sigh, its a great feeling.