An Eventful Day Off

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Hey! Haven't posted in a while I know. I was just going to tell you about my average day in Russell but I'll save that for now (aren't you gutted...), since I had a bit of a mad day on my day off on Sunday;

So it all began on Saturday night at work... Haha! But really it did. Couple of chaps who know my boss came in for a few drinks and turns out one of them is a multi-millionair and the other is like his shadow a bit like a really un-cool batman and robin... Anyway, they were chatting away to us and then the millionaire - Mike - is origianlly from England so he was like 'where are you from', etc etc! So they said they would take me fishing next time I was off, so they asked Charlie, my boss, when I would be off next (since I never know) and he said the next day. So, since I didn't know when my next day off was they assumed I wouldn't have plans so that was that really! I could have done with a day doing nothing as I'd worked 43 hours in the last 6 days, all on split shifts but that's certainly not what I got.

The shadow, Mark, was going to pick me up at 8am (vicious!) but that never happened because he had had one too many bevvies the night before but he phoned and said I could go quadbiking on Mike's farm (200K acres) if I wanted instead. I was up now anyway, so I was like, sure sounds fun. Mike picked me up in his stupidly expensive BMW, only one in NZ cause no-one wants to buy them- how stupid is that?! Anyway, got up there and he just let me go off for a couple of hours and explore the hills and fields, was pretty cool actually. Looks a lot like home there as well! So that was sweet as for the morning and then by about lunch Mark had recovered, to a degree so we went out in the boat - drama!

So I hadn't taken any travel sickness tablets cause I wasn't sure I was going on the boat and I had meant to take them with me but I forgot. I thought I might be okay because I haven't felt seasick so far on this trip and although I've only got ferries so far I thought I might be cured! It was all going fine to start with. We went out to the hole-in-the-rock and cape bret, which by the way would cost me $89 dollors to do on one of the tour boats. They took me to get lots of photos and Mike kept checking I had my camera and got Mark to take the boat round various islands to see if there were any sealions but we didn't find any. We were going to go look after we had been fishing. They stopped the boat and put the anchor down to fish for a while. I hooked a few times but the bit through the line. Same thing happened to the guys and they recon they mights have been baracudar (sp?!) or mako sharks, so that was pretty cool but we didn't actually get any fish!

We went to move the boat to a new spot and this is when it all went a bit wrong. The engine would not start up again. It was like when you turn the key in the car but it won't kick in. I wasn't worried though, they seemed to know what they were doing and fiddled around with the engine for a bit. However, half an hour later no joy. They radioed in to see if there were any boats in the area to give us a tow. No joy there either. Now I started to get pretty seasick and we'd been out for about 2 hours so I needed to reapply the suncream but I felt way to ill. I really thought I was gonna throw up and just managed to get my cream on with out being sick. Anyway, at this point the coastguard had been allerted to our situation but the woman on the radio said they would be about 2-3 hours. Could not believe it!! All i wanted to do was get on land, what a joke!! I felt so ill.

Next thing that happens is the coastguard phone up mark to get payment before they come out-?!?!?! What the hell is the deal with that by the way. Have they never heard of the RNLI?! What if you couldn't pay? You'd just drift till you got to Chile. Mad. So the coastguard were eventually on there way and they took about an hour and a half to get to us but at that point we'd already been stuck for about an hour and a half. I started to feel better when i closed my eyes for a bit and when the coastguard eventually found us I was, by some miracle, feeling better! It was a bit choppy at this point and a lot like being on a rollercoaster once we were getting towed - except we were on a boat, with no seat belts and harness to keep us in, my musles ached for a couple of days after! It then took another hour and a half to eventually make it back to the beach we had set off from. After about 45 minutes of the rollercoaster boat ride the fun had totally worn off and the seasickness was back. Fun times. I have never in my life been so happy to get on land - except maybe after Tory Island ferry, right dad? I can't really describe how crap I felt at the time, knowing I was stuck there and not getting back for hours, I kept telling myself that I would get to my bed by the evening and then I could look back and laugh - I can laugh now, at the time I just wanted to throw up. Plus, this was my day off! I definately could have done with another one to recover but nope, back to crazy Thai work 10.30 sharp the next day!

Mike was very appologetic about the whole thing. We got dinner back at his house. I had to eat cray fish- worst day ever, i tell you! Lol! To be honest though, I was starving so I would have eaten anything, I covered it in branston pickle and that was that! Then they gave me tonnes of fish to take away. I don't really like fish but I couldn't really say no but it was all cool cause i gave it to Liam, Joe and Nikki and now they love me. Haha! Told them I wouldn't have eaten it anyway and it would have just gone to waste but they still love me, of course. And they were very sympathetic about my drama! :-)

I eventually made it home to the house at about 9.30. All I wanted to do was get a shower and go to bed. BUT! i hadn't washed my work stuff - since I'd been stuck on a bloody boat all day - so I had to stay up and wash my clothes and then hang them up - in the dark! and hope they would be dry in time for work (they were, who would have thought!).

So that was my day off. I don't think I've really got across how utterly ridiculous it ended up being but just so you know, on Monday (my next day off), I'm going to stay in bed till midday and then watch tv and read my book. So there!

Sorry I went on a bit again. But it's been about 2 or 3 weeks since I last wrote anything right? So I'm sure you can handle it!

I'm away for a nap, just thinking about boats makes me feel ill now!

Lots of Love Charlottexxx

PS Just incase you were wondering, the boat had just been serviced and now it turns out they hadn't put something back right in the engine so the fuel couldnt get to the right place. Still not going to get back on that boat tho.

xx

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Photos

Coming through the Hole
I got dripped on - good luck apparently!

Heading Home
Pretty choppy - gave the window a good clean though!

Comments

[Clare]

wow!
char you make my life seem very mundane.......! glad you're living on the edge and hope you get a decent day of rest xxxx

[CharMcF]

Thanx, however this was a bit of a one off and most days i am just working and sunbathing! lol! and i bet your life is really exciting actually! How is your placement stuff going? Miss you lots xxx