New Zealand

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Kia Ora!

Yeah, we are still alive. Just rubbish like normal. 5 months since the last blog, and yep, it feels like a life time!

We have had a crazy season here in NZ, worked our bottoms off running a nightclub and lived our dream working as instructors during the day. So actually it feels like 2 life times!

Red Rock was crazy. Skiers and snowboarders know how to party and it was night after night of excess. Rich and I got to enjoy some fantastic DJ’s and have been overwhelmed at how good NZ music is. We have had some awesome live acts come through ranging from heavy metal bands like Sinate , to soulful Anita Moa . An impromptu live song from P - Digsss of Shapeshifter on his birthday and having Snowboarding legend Travis Rice behind the bar where definite highlights. But it was hard work. In New Zealand it is illegal to allow people to become intoxicated on licensed premises. You try telling that to 200 snowboarding 18 year olds with cash to burn!

So that was life until 3am. Then it was a quick nap and off to work up at the hill at 7am!

We may not have had much sleep but we would not have changed it for anything. We were so lucky to get jobs at Cardrona as it is notoriously difficult to get work in the southern hemisphere as instructors. There is so much competition, Cardrona gets so many applications that they are able to pick only people with 10 years experience or more. But persistence pays off. Rich made sure he was in the right place at the right time and got me my job, and then when snowboarding got busy later on he was the first one the Supervisor called.

And we loved it. It was scary as hell. I don’t think I ever really knew worry until I took 12 seven years olds up a chair lift and skied them all down again. You count them, over and over and over again! But it is hugely rewarding, watching people go through so many emotions in 2 hours as they struggle with fear and frustration and impatience. And then slowly slowly you find a way to help them, and the joy that spreads over them is infectious.

And I'm pleased to say our hard work paid off, Ard got Rookie of the year and both of us have been invited to come back and work next year. Yay!

So that brings us up to now. A little change of plans has happened. We kind of ran out of money (Instructing isn’t exactly lucrative) and the owners of the nightclub seemed to think we did a good job so they have asked us to stay. We turned down jobs in Japan and Canada 😞 but figure if we want to do this long-term we need to get finances sorted.

We do desperately want to come to Oz and I know it keeps getting delayed but good things come to those who wait. Right????????? It’s looking like we’ll have to make do with a short holiday in the next few months and then cross fingers for a longer trip after next winter.

But this does mean we do get to have a summer 😊 in a beautiful part of the world and hopefully get to see a little bit of NZ while we are here. Rich gets to dedicate hours/days/the rest of his life to his newest hobby (Fishing, 5 amazing rainbow trout so far, fingers crossed for salmon next!) and I might just look into rowing again. We have happily found an amazing apartment with awesome views, a swimming pool, sauna, spa etc. So life is looking pretty good for now.

Well, love to all. Hope everyone’s well and happy and hope we see you soon. xxxxx

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Photos

Lake Wanaka
Beautiful

Climbing Mt Roy
Mt Roy is about a 6 hour 'stroll' with the most amazing views over Lake Wanaka and Wanaka town. This is about half way and you can just see Wanaka town in the background

Views from Mt Roy
Lake Wanaka is HUGE!

House sitting and Stanley
So when we first got to Wanaka we did some house sitting and dog sitting. This is Stanley the pug puppy and is the cutest thing in the world. After Rich of course.... (",)

Isn't he delicious
Have to put another in because honestly he breaks your heart he's so cute.

Snooze time
Ahhhhh!

Our little winter home
This is our winter home, it looks very cute and cosy snuggled here in the snow!

Snow @ home
Wanaka is below the snow line so when we woke up one morning surrounded by snow we were very excited!

First day of skiing
This is us driving up to Cardies for our very first day of New Zealand skiing. Excited!

First day
And our passangers get cosy: Cassie, Paul and Simon

Instructors!
Rich and Ard in the staff room @ Cardies

The drive to work
@ 7:15am we would all pile into these little minivans and go tearing up the dirt road to work. There are no guard rails and it can be icy, we became exports at getting snowchains on and off in a hurry!

Normal day at work
Early starts are hard, views like this aren't. This is taken at Cardrona Ski resort with Queenstown in the back ground.

On the job
Cami (One of Ard's instructors from Fernie) enjoying the views @ Cardie

Arriving @ work
An inversion causes the clouds to sit low like this, it would often be overcast and miserable in Wanaka, while we had blue bird days

Alpine Parrots
A cheeky Kea @ Trebel Cone. They will steal and destroy everything and anything! Gloves, windscreen wipers, oh and of course, your lunch.

Rich and Sean @ Treble Cone
Sean is one of the owners of the bars we work at.

Rich and Mike @ TC
Mike was one of the lads in Rich's class in Fernie. He and several others came out and stayed for some of the season.

Comments

[Jackie Gore]

hello this is maya i have never seen snow it looks great. we have a dog now his name is floyd he is a chocolate lab. bye maya Hi Guys looks like your having a great time can't imagine that you will be home any time soon got room for a little one!! would love to be there. Extremely jealous and feel quite depressed now keep living the dream and look forward to hearing from you soon. Take Care Jackie.xx

[Dee]

So pleased you are happy!
Hi Guys, Having jsut read your entire blog and looked at all your pics I have to say I'm so happy that you are both where you want to be. This obviously suits you both down to the ground or up to the top of a mountain of course... ;o) Fingers crossed, you'll be able to do the next part of the journey very soon. Take care both and keep them blogs comin!!! Love Dee xxx