New Zealand- The Blenheim chapter

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Well its been over 6 months since we first arrived back in Blenheim, and now our time is running short. With just a few days until we start our homeward journey. Both our jobs now finished, leaves us just the bittersweet task of saying our goodbyes to all the great people we have been fortunate enough to meet here and have each helped make Blenheim feel like home.

When we first arrived, back in November, we were incredibly broke, and in desperate need of work. The vast amount of vineyard work available led us to our first employment in Blenheim.
Though the work wasn't exactly taxing, the sheer mundane nature of the job, meant that the 2 week break we had in Australia for Christmas was all the more appreciated.

When we got back, it was only a few days in to the vineyard lifestyle when it all got too much and i decided to jack it in ( well i was on holiday after all!)
Luckily i landed on my feet and after just a short period of unemployment i started work back as a chef at the 'cornerstone' restaurant and bar in the center of town.
Though apprehensious at first to get back in to the world of hospitality i soon realized it was the best move.
Aside from the better pay and more interesting nature of the job, all the staff at 'the stone' soon became great friends, which led to 5 months of making great relationships and partying until the early hours....probably much too often!
Apart from the birthday trip back across the ditch, it has been 5 months of settling in to the Blenheim community and making it a true home away from home.

During our stay in Blenhiem we were fortunate enough to be joined by a few friends form back home and even a good mate from the Kerikeri era of the trip.
Dave, who we met in Kerkeri, came to live in Blenheim for a few months while we were there, it was great to remain in contact with a friend from áranga' and a few reunion nights out were inevitable, as we tried to recapture the sheer brutality of Aranga!

We were also joined by Kate and her friends, Debbie and her traveling partner and of course Abbie and Ellie, needless to say it was incredible to see people from back home after being away for so long and some great nights our catching up followed including the cornerstone street party', while Kate was in town.

With regular trips down the Blenheim night life strip including 'paddy barrys' irish pub and 'the loft' and kokomos' nightclubs, Blenheim really served its purpose for us as a place to save some money and set up camp until our visas ran out.

Another of the great things about being back in Blenheim, and a good part of the reason we stayed was the fact that we could stay in touch and regularly meet up with all the people who were so kind to us after our previous trip to Blenheim.
So so a massive thank you to Martin, Heather and the kids and Hamish and Dickie for looking after us so well and making our time in Blenheim truly incredible.

Now, there has been too many great nights our for me to detail them all, but the street party, working on the BBQ with Daz, many trips down to Christchurch to catch up with Romy and party hard down there and all the savage house party's and following nights out with all the cornerstone crew are always going to be remembered.

Big love and thanks to Daz, Chloe, Renee, Shawn, Darna, Ryan, Meals and Dave and the rest of the 'stone 'crew who are all going missed heaps and all played a big part in making Blenheim a really 'choice 'experience, and a very hard place to walk away from.

After a couple of amazing leaving nights where we said our final farewells, its time to head to Brunei, via Auckland, for the final leg of our 17 month trip...bring it on!

Untill next time
xxx

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