The Hungry Hippos

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Hey again guys, it doesn't seem like it but we must have been in Queenstown for 5 days now, they've absolutely flown by and find us stuck in one place for the next few weeks at least. I guess i should also say a couple of lines about Queenstown - about 7500 people living around an absurdly picturesque lake with a huge summer and winter transient population. Lots of silly sports involving falling insanely long distances (usually downwards) or getting extremely cold and wet, and all looked over by huge mountains that will soon become engulfed in snow - basically Queenstown is good looking. Consequently as you'll read we're 99.99% sure we're going to stay here through the winter season and try and make some money from Joe Toursist.

On arrival here the first order was to check in to the Hippo Backpackers and immeadiately wander into the staff lounge by mistake and be welcomed whole-heartedly by 4 americans who almost say 'dude' as much as i do - sweet. Anyway after quick introductions and watching a film togethere it turned out the one english guy in the staff block also played in local bands and he's been making enough money to live from it for 4 months. Liking the sound of this we headed to an open mic night in town later in the evening and i was awarded free beer for playing a few songs for the audience. Not much but the most wages i've been paid in 5 months (not really enough but at least it's getting the essentials). Anyway the evening progressed to meeting a whole new collection of friends and an instant introduction to the musicians of the area. We headed back to the lodge eager to get up (reasonably) early the next day in the persuit of accomodation and possibly something called a 'job' - damed if i know.

Well, as is often the case it proved not quite as easy as we'd thought - i didn't immeadiately walk into a job playing music, we couldn't find anywhere cheap to rent, and there we no backpacker lodges wanting people to clean for free accomodation. Pretty dejected after a whole afternoon wandering around town trying to unnsuccessfully sell ourselves we sat down for a think in the middle of one of the housing blocks just overlooking the town centre, and while we were at our lowest point none other than some of our friends from up in Bay Of Islands (Mel and Burt of 'being Hungarian and from Leeds at the same time' fame) who were renting the house literally that we were sat outside of. Immeadiately things looked up again and after a cup of tea, chat and advice session we went back in good spirits to our tent and planned to look for jobs at reccomended places and accomdation from recommended landlords (that night in the local bar i also got to watch a band performing Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd - very ace indeed).

I suppose ut 3rd day here was the lowest as although we'd made friends (and went to see a great gig by Robyn - the english guy working at the backpackers mentioned before - playing Irish folk music in the local Irish pub by an open fire and with pints (real pint size glasses) of Ale) and been given pretty good leads about somewhere to live and where to get work, we again hit a brick wall and were also begginging to get slightly worried about monetary (or lack there of) situations - consequently we spent the night in the car to conserve funds (entirely voluntarily parents reading this - we're fine and really did it to see if Frank could manage it not because we are that poor - although we are a bit) and started to wonder whether we might have to move on to Dunedin.

Luckily after the downs for Claire and Marc there are usually ups - and you'll all the glad to here on our 4th day here it git up again. Some of the workers at the Hippo lodge decided to leave and walk out in the morning as so the other staff members (who we get on really well with) suggested to the manager that Claire and I could take their positions as exhaulted cleaners. So as of yesterday me and claire are gainfully (just about) employed at the Hippo Lodge working as cleaners and occasional Night Managers in return for a free flat (it really is a great flat - nice people we're living with, all bills and heating paid for, seperate kitchen, bathroom and living area to the rest of the lodge - our own balcony looking over the glassy blue lake, and most of all very comfortable beds) near to the lodge itself. We had sort of given up on the idea of doind work for accomodation but the flat that comes with this job is so nice, the people so friendly , and the bosses so flexible (with respect to changing hours depending on what other jobs we get in town - at the moment looking like, working in a cafe, jet boat company or for an agency which boasts 'providing lepracauns for St Patrick's day' under it's jobs) that we thought it was an offer to good to pass up on. Consequently the plan as of Monday morning is to get out and look for jobs in the town and keep on working early shifts of cleaning to get the free flat at the hippo lodge and avoid as much death defying falling from high places attached to elastic bands as possible.

It really has seemed that we've fitted in so well, getting along with the four americans that also live in the flat and clean with us (we all went to a regae festival in the local park yesterday and got to sup ale in just shorts and t-shirt while listening to a Hungarian playing summer regae - it made a change from the rapidly coldening weather - trips to the charity shops will certainly be needed for some big jumpers). So all we need now is to start earning again and enjoy our new warm flat that isn't a tent, with great flatmates and awesome views.

As ever we are both fine, and as ever claire promises to blog something soon. As i final note i'll let mum know that my first day working as a cleaner wasn't to horific, and i actually have suprisingly high(ish) standards of tidiness and cleanliness. Also no scrubbing that claire had to do up in Bay Of Islands - so you cant call me a scrubba.

Will blog again soon hopefully with news of jobs, and let you know how life is in wonderful Queenstown (it's been so different - in a good way - to what we thought it'd be).

marc

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