Kicking back in paradise

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Well, I really have landed on my feet here - I'm currently living for (nearly) free in the middle of the prettiest wine region you can imagine. Ah, it's a hard life!

Since I last wrote anything on here (sorry Jessica) I have moved, if only briefly, to Picton at the North of the South island. I'm working at a hostel called Tombstone, named so as it is next to the graveyard (they even have a coffin lid for the front door!) though it is not at all creepy. In fact it's so cushy that it has full sky tv and a hot tub where you can watch the sun go down over the harbor. Really hard life!

The weather here is much better than it was down in Queenstown, the other day was so warm I even went walking in shorts. Admittedly it was a Tuesday afternoon when I was pretty much guaranteed not to meet another living soul - my legs are so white at the moment you could guide planes into land with them. The walking round here is fantastic - it's where you can do the Queen Charlotte Track from and if you ever get the chance to come and do it you really really must. (Jen and Krish - you have to stop here - it's where you get the ferry between the islands from and most people only pass through but it is definitely worth staying a full day and either doing part (or all) of the Queen Charlotte or at least 'the Snout')

It was at the end of doing 'the snout'- horrible name but great walk - that I had to concede that I am indeed my fathers daughter. I came to this conclusion whilst sitting on a boat made into a bar, eating the famous green lipped mussels and quaffing Gewurztraminer enjoying the sunshine (ok the last part of that is me being my mothers daughter as well). I seem to have been quaffing a fair amount of Gewurztraminer since I got here, as well as Riesling, Saviong Blanc (obviously), Pinot Gris etc etc.
Went on a vineyard tour the other day - out of which the clear winner was a producer called Forrest. You'll be pleased to know their biggest place to export to is Britain so if you ever see it it has the Sophie Stamp of Approval. (Look out for the range called 'The Doctor') But the best of them all is the late harvest Rieslings and Gewurztraminers (very like ice wines - possibly they are ice wines... I'd had a few samples by the time this part of the talk was happening...) but they are heavenly. Especially with a bit of lemon cake... which I baked the other day - good way to make friends in a hostel is to feed people, but be warned if you want any for yourself take it aside before uttering the phrase 'help yourselves' because the descend on it like a pack of starved wolves, never have I seen people eat so much so fast. Actually that's a lie, but not for a while anyways!

I'm going to go to bed now - tomorrow the Irish guys I met when I first got to Queenstown are picking me up and we're driving out to a farm in the middle of the Marlborough Sounds for a few days, which should be fun. Though I did hear them saying something about fishing so maybe not... I'll keep you informed!

p.s. did you know white cats are deaf?

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