Road Trip + Motueka

Updates… where do I begin? So much has happened since I last blogged. I think I last left off while I was finishing up the ski season at Coronet Peak. As always, it was sad to say bye to all my friends in Queenstown… flatmates, co-workers, friends, but I was really excited to make my next move.
Five friends and I took a four day west coast road trip from Queenstown to Nelson which is at the top of the south island. I can’t remember if I last wrote about this, but I bought a Nissan Bluebird with 181,000 kilometers for $1800. Here's a picture...

I had it checked out before I bought it and it’s in good condition. It has some corky areas… sometimes the radio doesn’t work, it makes funny sounds going uphill, one of the mirrors is taped on, some small dings on the exterior, but I don’t care because it runs and got us to Motueka safe and sound. I love the attitude about cars in New Zealand. They are just to get you from one point to the other, not to show off how much money you have. Obviously I’m not used to driving on the left side of the road on the left side of the car (actually I’m terrified), so my friend Ester drove the whole way. Thank goodness.
We first stopped at Franz Josef Glacier where we did a guided hike to the top of the glacier. They outfitted us with warm clothes, boots and crampons. Yes, crampons. My maturity level turned into that of a teenage boy every time I said this word. They basically are ice picks that you strap to your boots to grip the ice as you climb. Very helpful! I felt like such a ninny because we had to stop twice for our guide to tape my ankles because of blisters. It hurts though when you’re climbing! I really enjoyed the experience. The guides are really knowledgeable and helpful making it very worthwhile. Plus how cool is it to hike a glacier?!? After Franz Josef, we made a couple of other little stops along the way visiting some amazing beaches, waterfalls and even some po dunk towns that I will never stop through again, but made for a good laugh. I forgot to mention I slept in my car for four nights… the VERY tiny backseat of my car. It actually wasn’t too bad. On the fourth day, we arrived in Nelson where my friends will all be working. They work for a small company that makes the frames for tiny helicopters which are used for filming and other various projects. Their bosses have an amazing house at the top of a hill overlooking the beach. They basically office out of the house and my friends are staying there until they find a place to live.
I stayed a couple of days with them just relaxing before I left for Motueka which is where I currently live. It’s just a short 45 minute drive from Nelson. When I first drove into Mot, I was a little scared. It wasn’t just because I would finally be forced to drive, but also because I realized I was on my own again and in a tiny town much unlike Queenstown with not a whole lot to do. I first checked into a backpackers’ called the Happy Apple. I immediately felt welcomed by the owners, Bill and Janet who I now feel are like my grandparents. The Happy Apple is really a great place. It has a huge backyard with hammocks and chairs. They even have a hot tub. I actually went to this particular backpackers’ because my friend Jen from Queenstown said her friend Ande stayed here who turns out to be a super cool guy. We get along really well. Initially I thought I would never be happy in this tiny little town. After just a couple of weeks, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Motueka may just be a tiny beach town that you can drive through in about 10-15 minutes, but I love it! I love the laid-back lifestyle of the people, the proximity of the city, Nelson, the amazing beaches in the Abel Tasman National Park, the quietness that makes you just appreciate sitting and chatting with friends. For instance, right now, I’m just sitting inside blogging while it rains and couldn’t be happier. There are some really interesting characters that live here too. My favorite is Darryl. He’s an older guy who’s been traveling for quite some time and loves to get on the drink. I absolutely love to hear him tell stories. Sometimes he gets to laughing so hard that he can barely breathe. He cracks me up. He just got a new laptop and has NO idea how to use it. The first day he couldn’t even figure out how to open it. He’s sitting in the lounge with me right now and has asked me three different times to show him where his cursor is. Love him. It’s people like him that make traveling that much better.
I started my job this week at Abel Tasman Kayaks. I’ll be working in Marahau (the main office) about 20 minutes away from Motueka and also in the booth at Kaiteriteri, both right on the beach in the Abel Tasman National Park. I usually carpool with my co-workers. It’s a very windy road through the hills. You have to watch out for chickens, ducks and cyclists around every corner. There is no part of this road that is straight. My first week is just training, but I see why I need it. I have loads of information to learn about the trips they offer. Basically my position will be selling the various kayaking, walking and aqua taxi excursions in the Abel Tasman National Park to the customers. There are so many different options and I have to know everything about all of them including which beach it starts/stops at, tidal crossing info, length of paddle, accommodation in the park, etc, etc, etc. Seriously, the list goes on and on. They say the best way to learn the trips is to actually go on them (plus we get them for free). You don’t have to tell me twice. Last week, my co-workers Bella, Ida and I took a kayaking trip called the Big Tonga. Tonga Island is a seal sanctuary. We started out by taking the aqua taxi to a secluded beach where our guide showed us how to kayak. (Pause for break to help Darryl with his laptop for the fourth time). I’ve never actually kayaked in anything like these boats. They’re really big for two people with pedals for steering. It seems like it would be really easy, but after 5 hours of kayaking my arms had shooting pains! We kayaked around all the beautiful beaches and into several lagoons and estuaries filled with seals! They’re so cute! They swim right up next to your kayak. Apparently in the summer when the pups are young, they tend to be really playful and curious. They’ll hop right on top of your kayak. We also did a famil trip with our supervisors which included an aqua taxi ride to show us each beach, lagoon, estuary, tide crossing and Dept. of Conservation hut along with a 2 hour walk through the national park. By the end of the season, I will know every detail about this place!
Lucky for me, I have some great co-workers. I’ve already become really close to a girl named Bella who is from South Africa. She and her boyfriend were actually in Queenstown too and just recently moved to Motueka. He works as a skydiver here, so I’ll definitely be trying that as soon as possible. They moved in with a lady named Niki, who has a friend, Brent that rents out rooms in his house. As much as I truly do love the Happy Apple, I’m going to need a house since I’ll be working here until the end of March. I looked at several places, none of which I particularly liked. Brent’s was perfect. He works as a kayak guide here, but for a different company than mine. He has a really nice house with two rooms (or backhouses I should say) in the backyard. My room is huge with a double bed (which I haven’t slept on for my entire time in New Zealand), a small kitchenette, and closet! Brent is a cruisey, very laid-back guy. He’s barely charging me anything. I use the bathroom, kitchen and living room in his house. He also has a four-year-old son named Olly who is only there some of the time, PLUS, he has a dog named Girlsy who I’m already obsessed with. She’s only a stand-in for my dog, Roxy, but will definitely do!
So that’s an update! Just reading it back gives me tired head. I have to say I’m very, very happy with what’s happening in my life. I’m really appreciating the simple life and the new friends I’ve made. I feel truly blessed to have come so far. As always, there’s a room for any of you to stay in for a visit! Fat chance, I know, but the offer is on the table. Doesn’t Christmas on the beach sound appealing?? Thank you to everyone for the lovely e-mails. I love updates. I can’t believe I’m missing the Rangers in the World Series against the Cardinals of all teams! I’ll be rooting for them here while everyone else cheers on the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team for the Rugby World Cup. Although I’m starting to finally get into it! Cheers everyone!