New Zealand Week 4 11/11 - 17/11

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After our Abel Tasman walk we decided that we should start getting back into the real world and get a job. This involved us requiring a bank account as jobs required evidence of this. What a palaver this turned out to be. As we needed proof of address and obviously we can’t class the Mothership as an address, we were advised to stay one night at a holiday park, get them to write a letter that we were staying there and then bring it in on the Monday. We paid $20 for the privilege but there was a kitchen so had a massive breaky of eggs, toast and baked beans - what a dream.

The next day we saw a poster about a “world class wood chopping event” involving previous world champions and medal winners. Naturally we couldn’t miss this world renowned event so made our way to what we thought would be a huge field with hot dog vans, candy floss and hot weather..... as you can imagine we were some what surprised when it was in a car park of a pub. However, these guys were machines, 6ft plus and 300lbs they made the tree trunks look like they were made out of polystyrene god only knows how they had all of their limbs intact...

After our day at the wood chopping we trundled up to the bank with our letter in hand only to be faced with an incompetent banker who decided that our evidence was not sufficient and refused to open an account..... damn. We went to every other bank in Nelson and finally found one who would accept a UK address. We made yet another appointment for 2 days time.

Another day to kill we made our way to Richmond library to charge everything and get some free internet. During this time we planned the rest of our trip after New Zealand. After spitballing a few options we chose to fly to Nepal, stay there about a month and then onto Moscow and drive all the way to the England (make the most of the EU while we can). After this we drove to Rabbit Island (didn’t see a single rabbit) we made some delicious sausage and cheese toasties on the free BBQs and chilled by the beach in between going on a stroll of the island.

D day had come and the bank accepted us as customers! After sorting this we drove all the way back to Blenheim so we could start the Vineyard work we had arranged the following day. We found a lovely little campsite by a lake and Char started some watercolour painting whilst Jack perfected his ukulele riffs! We fed the black swans and adopted a very friendly duck called Hugo. In return for all the bread and time we have to him he shat on jacks towel!

We turned up for work at 7am, a bit bleary eyed but ready to replenish our bank accounts. The work was simple enough but pretty repetitive and hard on the back and hands. By the end of a full day shoot thinning in the vineyards we were exhausted and did nothing but make dinner and go to bed. This routine continued the following day but we’d come prepared with hats, gloves and music to help the day along. The job was like being a human robot, walking and stripping stray vines without using much brain power, just following up and down the rows. We worked out later that we each stripped 5000 plants every day!! The vineyard itself was very beautiful but it’s hard to see it that way after 5000 plants have past you by, who knew wine was such hard work!

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