Queenstown Snowboard Jam 2010

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Queenstown
August 8th 2010

Published: August 8th 2010

Hi everyone! We hope this blog finds all of you well and enjoying your summer season!! I know it’s been a while since our last blog, but we now have an update on our itinerary and a rough idea of when we’ll be homeward bound. It’s hard to believe we’ve been gone for so long already, but in just a few short months, our visa for New Zealand will be expiring. On October 15th, exactly a ye... Read Full Entry

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Amy Rogers

Aerogers

Greetings!! To our readers who followed our trip across Asia and New Zealand in 2009/2010, we're up to our old tricks again! Over the past three years in Colorado, we've arranged our circumstances to be able to spend an extended period of time in southeast Asia - namely, Bangkok, Thailand! This blog will contain our thoughts and experiences from life abroad as true "ex-pats," as well as any incidental traveling we take in the meantime. So sit back, relax, and enjoy some "armchair traveling" with us... Days abroad: "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappoint... full info

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8th August 2010

anonymous
non-member comment

Amy, you guys should move o Jackson Hole, Wyoming.... You are gonna love it there!!!! I think it will remind you of Queenstown:>

9th August 2010

Joe Smuin
non-member comment

Aha!
Amy and Jeremy: I have kind of wondered about tires and traction down there. This image shows equipment every true Canadian living outside of the lower coastal area of British Columbia knows about. Did you have to put these ones on yourselves? Joe

9th August 2010

Joe Smuin
non-member comment

Whiteout, you say??
Whiteout, phooey! :>) Them Kiwis are big sissies!! When you can't see the closest cars from where you are standing when you took the photo - that's more like white-out conditions that northern mid-westerners and Canadian prairie folks consider a white-out. Or likewise for folks in the coastal mountains. Still, I'd agree that you wouldn't want to lose your bearings out there in those conditions, most especially if you didn't know the terrain. Joe

9th August 2010

Joe Smuin
non-member comment

As usual.
Amy and Jeremy: As usual, great photos and a great story. To tell you the truth, I'm a little bummed that your stay in NZ is coming to a close. You have absolutely no idea how thoroughly I've enjoyed your blogs and seeing your photos. In your last blog, you answered many of my questions and thank you for that, but one last one remains: you state that the standard of living is lower - which doesn't come as a complete surprise to me - in terms of material comforts and goods, but what about equity in society? Do you see the howling gaps between the comfortable and the less well-off to the extent that is so apparent in the United States? Do you think the people are happier or less happy there than the society you lived amongst in Florida? From what little I've seen through your photos and comments, it looks to me that a case could be made for a less consumer-oriented society if fresh air and beauty is the end result. In spite of the costs and the inconveniences, I can well imagine that you will leave Queenstown with more than a little twinge of regret. How wonderful you have had this experience. I highly recommend that you folks have a look at the American Pacific northwest if snow-boarding is going to have a permanent place in your life. You might want to have a look at the Wenatchee or Spokane areas of Washington State. This is much drier country, not so much rain like Seattle, but good ski areas are easily accessed from those places. Portland, Oregon, is a particularly beautiful area, but it gets more rain. Still, skiing is not far away. Leavenworth, WA., is a really neat little tourist town on the east side of the Cascades where folks with your experience might not have much trouble finding work. This is about three hours east of Seattle. hugs, Joe

9th August 2010

Aerogers
Amy Rogers

Response to Anonymous
Funny, you are the second person today to mention Jackson Hole. Even funnier is that I've set my last two novels there! Maybe everybody is right...

9th August 2010

Aerogers
Amy Rogers

Hi Joe
We're sorry our adventure is coming to an end too! Still plenty to see and do yet, though, not to worry. To answer your question about society here, no, there does not appear to the class distinction and visible gaps that you'd see back home, at least not here in Queenstown. I think that the people here are content and appreciative for what they have, materially and in the way of the natural beauty of the place. There is an incredibly strong sense of community here, too, that is non-existent in a big city back home - everyone actually knows their neighbors here, and if you go into town, you see dozens of people that you know all over the place. That is a huge change and quite refreshing, actually! It will be strange to return to a big city and get "lost in the crowd" again. And yes, when it comes to snow, these guys are sissies (sorry). Living in a "ski" town, you'd think they'd be a little better equipped to handle such conditions!! And thanks for the tips on the NW. To be honest, I still think that year-round, those regions would just be too cold for me personally (though I'm sure they have central heating - something I'm dreaming about as I shiver in my 8C house!)...I think we'll stay farther south so we still get the nice warm spring, summer, and fall, but within driving proximity to some ski areas. Everyone keeps recommending Colorado or Wyoming, which are equally beautiful but definitely too cold for me!! And as far as the snow chains, that was on a friend's car, and he put them on, although we did one time back in June put ours on (with some assistance, of course). What a pain in the neck!! :-)

10th August 2010

Joe Smuin
non-member comment

Pacific Northwest
Hi Amy and Jeremy: Colorado and Wyoming WILL be cold and unpleasantly so. That's what makes the difference from those places and the PNW. Seattle gets a bit of snow, but very seldom -10 Celsius or lower. Lots of rain ... it's damp, but I think you'd find the climate a LOT like NZ where you've been on the South Island. Portland is a bit drier and a bit cooler, but still MUCH warmer than inland points. The major difference from NZ is that in the PNW, wherever you go, the houses will be properly heated, no matter how old they are. More to follow in a few days. We are moving out the valley in a couple of days to a place called Chilliwack, BC., so will catch you up again in a week or so. Stay safe on the slopes in the meantime. hugs, Joe

20th August 2010

Bill Brown
non-member comment

Having Fun
This is time of a lifetime! You guys seems to be having so much fun you make my life seems boring. nyway I am so happy for you guys. This is the best time to do what you are doing. Take care of yourselves, and God bless! Bill and Donna.

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Queenstown Snowboard Jam 2010

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