Disappearing into the mountains...

---

---

Yesterday I had the best day ever. Every year the small town of Blenheim holds the Blues, Brews & BBQs Festival, whereby 2 music stages are put up in the park and then surrounded by beer tents from all over the country (and Carlsberg - result!) and a few food stalls too. As the name suggests most of the bands play blues, but the headlining band were just churning out quality rock covers.
Anyway I was working on one of the beer stands, which happened to be next to the stage - a prime spot I feel and what an awesome day. We could drink behind the bar, we were swapping beers for steak sandwiches with next door, I got given some vouchers to use at other stands when I went for a mid-afternoon wander, then when the beer licence expired (an hour before the music finished) we went to work on finishing off the kegs. As if all that free stuff wasn't good enough I then got paid $100!!

I took some photos but I only had my phone so you may not get to see them til I'm back in the UK. If I'm ever back in the UK.

How's this for coincidence - before I flew out I met up with a girl from Gosport who was flying to NZ at the same sort of time to swap plans and stuff. Checked into a hostel in Picton and she was in front of me in the queue! Madness!

So what next? Well in a couple of hours I catch a bus back to Christchurch, then tomorrow I head down to Haast because I have a proper job! I shall be working in a hotel, doing all manner of duties and I believe I get my own room while I'm there - no more living out of a backpack!

The town itself is only 200 people, in the middle of nowhere - no cell phone reception, the library only opens 1-4 on saturdays - but it's not too far from Wanaka where I want to go and the glaciers so I should be able to do some exploring on days off. Also we get some free stuff from local companies like Quad Biking and hopefully the jet boat company will do something too...

So yes, you probably won't hear from me for several weeks as I hang around a hotel in a quiet town not really doing anything worth talking about, but at the end of the season I shall be once again travelling round this awesome country.

Much Aroha
Greg

---