tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1213859493529123142024-03-13T08:55:06.246-04:00Adventures in Sheep FarmingA Travelogue of my Time in New ZealandKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-38149278386293930312008-01-04T20:48:00.000-05:002008-01-06T15:38:55.299-05:00Happy New Year!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcxPXmCz_g4XaX_qSCbwOT-1VJbgeqqbMENtuGOmCX968LLZFifUv4A9QKk1YzIlRws7vvRXchXD0HKyihf1dJPzI85bGqGlxNVaE_LrbE9DT7IKjoSzEy-M6ntOxgRNFGhtvZpNE1Hk/s1600-h/mtcookfeet2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcxPXmCz_g4XaX_qSCbwOT-1VJbgeqqbMENtuGOmCX968LLZFifUv4A9QKk1YzIlRws7vvRXchXD0HKyihf1dJPzI85bGqGlxNVaE_LrbE9DT7IKjoSzEy-M6ntOxgRNFGhtvZpNE1Hk/s320/mtcookfeet2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152465774703978258" /></a><br /><br />With a combination of the weather and different traditions for the holidays, it was a Christmas I’ll remember for awhile. My last blog left off with me headed to Dunedin for the holidays but that all changed. I did go to Dunedin for a week and loved it. But Adi and Adrian from Totaranui emailed me in search of some help before the holidays. I gladly accepted their offer to go back up to the Marlborough Sounds for two weeks.<br /><br />It was wonderful to go back…I felt like I was going home to my Kiwi family. It was great to see how much the gardens had grown, and the animals too! My little Betsy Boo was huge! Now that she's bigger she mingles with the other sheep and is starting to pick up their jumpy habits, but whenever I called to her when she was in the paddock, she would look up and Baaa back to me. She even ran over a few times so I could give her a scratch on the cheek.<br /><br />We worked hard during those two weeks, gardening and cleaning like crazy. Adi and Adrian let some friends of the family use the house over Christmas so we were preparing it for them. We did more work on the cottages and they look fantastic. I polyurethaned the floor in the bathroom (in the cottage) so it's almost done. It just needs a toilet to finish it off. I mowed lawns, and cleared out the "spider garden". Everything was looking great when we left!<br /><br />It was also nice to experience some Kiwi traditions for Christmas. I helped Adi make her Christmas cake which was delicious. We also baked a sweet bread and lots of cookies. Adi made Christmas crackers which we don't have in the US. They are little gifts that snap when you open them. Adi's book of songs on the piano changed to christmas music and it filled the house as we sipped ginger wine and prepared dinner. We went out and got two Christmas trees (one for the house and one for the cottage) and Adi let me help decorate.<br /><br />I had a great time, again! There was talk of them doing a big trip to the states and Canada, then to Europe, so hopefully they will make a stop in NH (or wherever I happen to be)!<br /><br />After my two weeks there (I left on the 23rd of Dec.), I headed to Hanmer Springs (pronounced Hamner for some odd reason) for Christmas. It was a cozy little alpine village and I stayed at the YHA. It reminded me of Colorado. Although I stayed in a dorm room, I had the whole room to myself for three days! Apparently, not many backpackers go to Hanmer for the holidays....so it was very quiet for me, but nice all the same. The day after Christmas I went to the hot springs which was really busy. They had a huge range of pools to choose from. I liked the really hot, sulphur pools. <br /><br />After Hanmer, I went back to Christchurch for a night, then to Lake Tekapo. The water in the lake is extremely blue due to the rock flour in the water. Rock flour is a powdery substance caused by the glaciers grinding up rock really finely and depositing it in the water. Funnily, I met up with a girl I had met up in Picton (by Adi's house). Kim is from Belgium and traveling around NZ before heading to Australia. We happened to be on the same bus down to Lake Tekapo and in the same hostel. I've had lots of instances where I've bumped into the same people in different parts of the country.<br /><br />After Lake Tekapo, I headed to Mount Cook. My plan was to spend New Year's eve at Mount Cook but all the hostels in town were booked up, so I could only spend one night. The day I arrived, I wasted no time....dropped my bags at the YHA and headed straight for the Hooker Valley Track which weaves along a river up to a glacial lake near the base of Mt. Cook. I took lots of photos but am too lazy to post the good ones here, so all you get for now is my blurry foot shot. :) <br /><br />The next day I headed back to Dunedin on a shuttle with a very friendly, and talkative bus driver. I happened to be the only person on the shuttle too! <br /><br />So now I'm in the beautiful city of Dunedin again. I arrived on the 30th of Dec. I'm working/living at a hostel right in town, making beds and cleaning for free accommodation. Not a bad deal. I work from 10-1:00, then have the rest of the day to wander the city. There is a great night life here and cozy little cafes. On New Year's eve, there was a BBQ at the hostel, then a group of us went down to the downtown Octagon area to watch the bands and the fireworks. After midnight we went to a club, stumbling home sometime around 3:30. It was a great time.<br /><br />So I'm just biding time here until February when I head back down to Invercargill for the Habitat build.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-8923167713855648982007-12-01T19:20:00.000-05:002007-12-01T19:34:58.512-05:00The Milford Track and beyond...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW3joIXYu2PFct3eczxspqNIa_-SD5im7_XQ3IZXYJajhp53a911q3WgWREq6lYt_EKmfCEukIH3fH4w4aMjBCsPeeFYVNNmbgZTf3aYw-3sg1fS5gGBJEaWLol2DEYWAU4j1qxxLfIM/s1600-r/lMilford.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDapvxv5UrAqdjOviA-_hVMtJHPvAzyQwCitR4XTB4msdPE_xZ-J7U4LaG8rmjh8yJv8iwbR5xXkcT3AFDHN9l3nQSRAyJLEw0GTndcuYyaKztodr3Fqa4pDbdIsp41Ne1igV60Q8wxE/s320/lMilford.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139165056904435298" /></a><br /><br />The Milford Track is famously known as “The Finest Walk in the World”. Some people say that it was coined as such by an over enthusiastic journalist who had never even walked the track and that Milford while pretty, was certainly not the finest. I suppose it’s all a matter of opinion and what you’ve seen…what your idea of beauty is, but I found the Milford Track and Fiordland National Park to be the most beautiful area of raw, dramatic, natural landscape I’ve ever seen. As I was walking I kept thinking to myself, how will I ever explain to everyone back home how amazing this place is? No wordy description I can write will ever do it justice. On the trail, the words/phrases “unbelievable”, “oh my god” and “I can’t believe I’m here” kept running through my head.<br /><br />The journey began on Wednesday the 14th. The bus picked us up in Te Anau and drove us 20 minutes north to Te Anau Downs where the boat transferred us to the start of the track at the top of lake Te Anau. 40 trampers are allowed to begin the track each day. The first day is a bit easy. From the boat ramp, it’s an hour walk along the Clinton River to the first hut which is Clinton Hut. This hour gives you a good idea as to how well you packed your backpack and if your shoulder/back will survive the trip. My bag felt extraordinarily heavy, but after awhile you get used to it. <br /><br />Clinton Hut is tucked into a neat spot uphill from the river and is built over wetland area at the base of a mountain. The huts have the very basics, such as a main kitchen/dining area, gas cookers, sinks and a woodstove. No electricity but there are flush toilets. There are two separate bunkrooms, each with 20 bunks. There is also a helicopter landing deck at each hut. The first night is fun because you meet the people you will be spending the next three days and nights with. Everyone’s story is interesting…there were people from Germany, Australia, the UK, Israel, Switzerland, and the US. I met a British woman, Anna, at the hostel in Te Anau the night before…we just happened to be in the same room and realized that we were doing the hike on the same day. After we all had eaten our dinner, there was a hut meeting with the DOC (Department of Conservation) ranger (there is one posted at all three huts) to discuss the upcoming section of track for the next day, safety issues and weather. Following the meeting, several of us went a bit down the track with our torches (headlamps to us Yanks) to see glow worms. There were several spots near the river where we found them. They’re really quite pretty….they look like a beautiful starry night or fireflies frozen in place. They are not pretty when you see what they really are, which are insects cling to the roof of a cavern that drip a long nasty goo down to lure and trap smaller insects….ick.<br /><br />The following morning, after a quick breakfast, I packed up, eager to hit the trail. I left around 8:00 and was the second person to leave. If you leave early enough, you feel like you are the only one out there, it’s great. This leg of the hike which follows the Clinton Valley, all the way up to Mintaro Hut and the base/starting point for Mackinnon Pass is usually completed in 6 hours. I think I did it in 4.5 to 5. This part of the walk is relatively flat, along the valley floor. The first part winds along with the river, then the trail opens up to wetland with the mountains of the Clinton Valley on either side. This part of the track has many avalanche areas. There are signs posted, warning trampers when they are entering such a zone, and not to stop walking until a “safe area” sign appears. Though it was fairly safe, there were several small slides while I was there. They sound like a mixture of thunder and loud crackling. I had to walk across several spots where there were landslides and it’s amazing to see how powerful and destructive they can be. These areas would be huge hills of dirt, rocks, boulders and whole trees piled in mass at the bottom of the hill. When you look up the path it came down, it looks as though a giant razor has shaved the mountainside. There are many pretty waterfalls along this area too. Once you reach the end of the valley, the landscape begins to change. The wetland turns into forest filled with beech trees covered in moss. EVERYTHING is covered in all different kinds of moss and lichen. Then you trail begins to climb uphill, to roughly, 2000 feet. The mountains around you begin to look bigger and have more snow on them. Then you reach Mintaro Hut. Mintaro sits up on a hill, in front of Mt. Balloon, just near Lake Mintaro. We had our first experience with Keas here. Keas are an alpine parrot with huge personalities. They are highly intelligent and big trouble makers. If you dare leave anything outside it becomes a toy for the kea. They destroy boots and clothes and try sneaking into the hut whenever they can. That night at Mintaro Anna taught me how to play a card game called Sh*thead (also known as Palace in the states). We soon had a group of regulars and passed the evenings this way. The next day was to be a big day, as many people find day three to be the most rewarding, scenic and difficult.<br /><br />In the morning I left around 7:30 and was the second person on the trail. It seemed like the trail immediately began to climb. In this leg up to Mackinnon Pass, you climb switchbacks up for about 90 minutes (just over 1000 feet). It was tiring, but I was surprised at my strength. I should mention that the weather up to this point had been misty with periods of sun coming through but also the occasional light shower. When I reached the top of Mackinnon pass, it was slightly foggy and misty. You could see the surrounding mountains peeking in and out of the grayness. It fog made everything mysterious…like mother nature wanted to keep us in suspense, hiding the grandeur behind a curtain. But the wind suddenly changed and in a matter of minutes every bit of fog was gone and you could see for miles in every direction. It was glorious. I couldn’t believe the extremeness of the beauty all around me. After many photos were taken, we all moved a little down the trail to the Mackinnon Pass shelter, which had a stove and was a good spot for a snack. None of us realized how cold it was until we stopped moving. I was feeling really hot when I went inside, like it was a warm summer day, but I could see the breathe coming from my mouth. I decided to keep moving so I wouldn’t get too cold. I continued on down the trail which leads over the other side of Mackinnon Pass, down into Roaring Brook and the Arthur Valley. Due to the fact that it’s still avalanche season, we were redirected along the emergency trail, instead of the main trail. Coming down the other side of Mackinnon Pass is extremely steep. You descend the entire 3,000 feet in about 3 to 4 hours to reach Dumpling Hut, for the last night on the track. Though steep, it has amazing views, beautiful rivers, and huge waterfalls. About an hour before reaching Dumpling Hut, there is a side trail that leads to Sutherland Falls, the highest waterfall in New Zealand at 580 meters (the fifth highest in the world!) Then it’s another hour to Dumpling Hut. Dumpling was the nicest of the huts. It didn’t have anything special, it was just set up nicely with 4 separate bunkrooms, making things a bit quieter at night. The keas here were unbelievable. One of them woke us up around 3 AM because it was pulling everyone’s boots off the hooks and dragging them across the deck making a “bang, bang, bang” sound. When we gathered them all up and placed them inside one of the rooms, the kea squawked and pecked at the door, trying to get in. They are cheeky little things! The ranger at Dumpling was especially endearing. His name was Ross and must have been in his 60s. He went through the usual gist of things at our hut meeting but he told lots of funny stories about the keas, and lots of informative things about the birdlife. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aUbk0YwjuBQy3PZnh-R3Fsd9nYSnStWH0p25eo_fsBEpRRKrM6SSIUUyBZZjenrvbVToOo0GPfDNWHxLPboLqsFKSSfHsh_b5bQJljKl-UpnvBqMvhP-nyfJzFdr1UqPrTKoiTQHSec/s1600-r/MackinnonPass.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxg8mMyKOXzmzTZL5TpQg0NnMOZ3EcnDRkOBv6LRVt_4OJbohyphenhyphenU_rA_mjVT6gm4kj5Ili2_PoGu8hYz6ZhKcvqSLpUrChjo5VZ4S3JQkT7Auv0S4LKUKFscbL5WC3QsYvtXx93wrNV2HM/s320/MackinnonPass.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139165327487374962" /></a>On Mackinnon Pass<br /><br />I was hurting on the morning of day 4. My calf muscles were so tight, I couldn’t walk for several minutes when I first stepped out of bed. Everyone was experiencing the same. My pack was feeling really heavy despite the fact that 90% of my food was gone. Again I set out early, around 8:00. You have to leave Dumpling around 8:00 in order to catch the boat at the end of the track to Milford Sound. This leg takes about 6 hours. This part of the track meanders through the Arthur Valley and the Arthur River. More beautiful scenery, the highlights being Mackay Falls, Giants Gate Falls and Lake Ada. The end of the line is Sandfly Point, which is named quite well. The sandflies are relentless… From here, the boat picked us up and brought us to Milford Sound, a 20 minute ride across the way where the bus was waiting to bring us back to Te Anau (a 2 hour drive). The boat ride across was an adventure in itself! The wind was rocking the boat from side to side and we were all tossed about…it was great fun. <br /><br />The drive through Fiordland National Park was amazing in itself. Everything is so majestic, you really feel small. Most of the mountains are in the 6,000 to 7,000 ft range and the Milford Rd. meanders along the valley between them. We even went through one when passing through the Homer Tunnel. I was in awe the whole time.<br /><br />A bunch of us got together back in Te Anau for a big dinner and drinks at The Moose restaurant and for a “Milford style” Sh*thead playoff.<br /><br />Overall, it was a wonderful experience I won’t forget soon. I’ve just left a sheep farm in between Invercargill and Bluff. A lovely family…Paula and Bede MacKenzie. They have three grown kids, Amber, Bridget and Scott. I was doing lots of yard and garden work, babysitting and helping out with cooking/cleaning. I had my own little cottage room and it had a hot tub out back! <br /><br />To end on an exciting note, I’ve decided to stay in New Zealand until the end of February to volunteer on a Habitat for Humanity project in Invercargill! They would like me to speak (or be interviewed) about my personal Habitat experience. It’s a great opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. In the meantime, I’m thinking about spending some time up in Dunedin. I keep hearing about how great it is so I’m thinking that’s where I’ll spend Christmas.<br /><br />More to come…. :)Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-363567536194795332007-11-04T17:45:00.000-05:002007-11-04T18:56:56.468-05:00Playing tag with calves...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3DQ5J5bvbx7O1fVxrfARnOnlhq2Oo_BYWKiTKXgvm8MWB7kUocnPPhQfogAdM-CB8eESHJ814I8a_5eSSRCyZo3q2RP5OlV36r888l2e-MDOrppCNVf5UCrbGxlAKbCNeszdLtmTgY0/s1600-h/00calves00.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3DQ5J5bvbx7O1fVxrfARnOnlhq2Oo_BYWKiTKXgvm8MWB7kUocnPPhQfogAdM-CB8eESHJ814I8a_5eSSRCyZo3q2RP5OlV36r888l2e-MDOrppCNVf5UCrbGxlAKbCNeszdLtmTgY0/s320/00calves00.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129121247244953714" /></a>They chased me down! :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichu9jj7AmkhosxM0BwNUKDRyRqinoeLhyPK8Y7eBYPkBRpmhj7Wi8gXanVjsFWXgkebAjHNXSntB2b0vn4-X7vPdOu4gis3HajYqLhHv5OC0MNjvNROTFbVxM9opeci79orvxacZ_vsE/s1600-h/1sunyard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichu9jj7AmkhosxM0BwNUKDRyRqinoeLhyPK8Y7eBYPkBRpmhj7Wi8gXanVjsFWXgkebAjHNXSntB2b0vn4-X7vPdOu4gis3HajYqLhHv5OC0MNjvNROTFbVxM9opeci79orvxacZ_vsE/s320/1sunyard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129125413363230866" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZgT7cq6HMcjScZE_LruzQWbsF4pjf0EKxLK7-Vi5v1niXcKz2G1fOx_3833M_b64bPurieMGUTT8dISi39GfKCt7n-3hh06e1reQ-lJ5ZXKvzy9ghT8_WQTSZe6xeAP4FX1v18odeeY/s1600-h/2backhills.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZgT7cq6HMcjScZE_LruzQWbsF4pjf0EKxLK7-Vi5v1niXcKz2G1fOx_3833M_b64bPurieMGUTT8dISi39GfKCt7n-3hh06e1reQ-lJ5ZXKvzy9ghT8_WQTSZe6xeAP4FX1v18odeeY/s320/2backhills.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129125817090156706" /></a><br /><br />I've been enjoying farmsitting though it's very quiet. I've been doing a lot of baking and talking to the animals (in the kind of way you do when you get cabin fever). My mornings have been a bit quiet as the two lambs under my care died of bloat, BUT another orphan was found so I have another morning (and afternoon) chore! The thing is, this lamb is a bit older and feistier. It wiggled it's way out of the initial paddock it was put in and found it's way to the calf paddock. This paddock also has two ewes which are pet lambs. They aren't afraid of people...in fact, they come baaing and running after me when they see me arrive. Naturally, you'd think that if you put a little orphan lamb in with two young female sheep, they would look after it and accept it into their group but they weren't having any of it. If a ewe doesn't recognize the scent on a lamb as being her own, she will chase it down and butt it away and that's what was happening here, poor little lambie (I've since moved it to another paddock). <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3GpWZvXv02ryNOm3e0McUbHiRp3QpQO7De1M9Barc6WCGOnl-y7Q696QG8F21S-cDB1z0Xd29WEuRm8DYJzKR_dyxOPNJTnCd2OHjJvFd-JcexXIyxysxOtRZ-ASzuJ2HNP4jGiKkQI/s1600-h/3hogget.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3GpWZvXv02ryNOm3e0McUbHiRp3QpQO7De1M9Barc6WCGOnl-y7Q696QG8F21S-cDB1z0Xd29WEuRm8DYJzKR_dyxOPNJTnCd2OHjJvFd-JcexXIyxysxOtRZ-ASzuJ2HNP4jGiKkQI/s320/3hogget.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129135656860231858" /></a>One of the mean hoggets...<br /><br />Yesterday I went into the paddock with a hot bottle of milk to feed it. Ideally, the lamb should be in a small enclosed place for the first few days, just so it can get used to you bottle feeding it and you can catch it easier. I knew this was going to be a funny task. I'm certain that anyone driving by got a good laugh. Picture this....me, with a bottle in my hand, running through a huge field after this lamb with a herd of calves and two big ewes trailing around behind me...all kinds of mooing and baaaing going on, thinking it was their feeding time. Then I started to think that the calves were ganging up against me because I was chasing the lamb. They were charging around me and kicking their hind legs up like they wanted to trample me (but really I think they were just playing). I was about to give up because the milk was starting to go lukewarm when the lamb managed to get itself cornered in a fence and I dived to tackle it. I had to pry it's mouth open to take the bottle but once it got a taste I let go of it and it was feeding on it's own.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgZPs6Jve4BsmSt3GzzIsLRAKC_9cMZuvEwb9HS2ss_2lnqhA3YfKgo0T4_IYkAbkDQLx6r-ZXo7SPC3e_ZP-BVzwRseAXSuOoSVvDoQ7VYf3GJINTSjQsx1-ukFjIT94evvgVx_U9_A/s1600-h/6shed.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgZPs6Jve4BsmSt3GzzIsLRAKC_9cMZuvEwb9HS2ss_2lnqhA3YfKgo0T4_IYkAbkDQLx6r-ZXo7SPC3e_ZP-BVzwRseAXSuOoSVvDoQ7VYf3GJINTSjQsx1-ukFjIT94evvgVx_U9_A/s320/6shed.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129136790731598018" /></a>The wool shed...<br /><br />I'm also in dog heaven here...there are 6 total....I've fallen in love with a sweet little year old pup. I will take a pic tonight and you'll see why. :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWMnvn3ItnMCUZS8r4IweGTQmBxCmQ0DCQIHCPhwb6bfJ1Rj5lV0wNAn3mmrpMA9M-KXM2-wuTlcj-LnMIyG2lbiwjqrjXtqObEjvD70V5AoIkOv9VISL7tNuTj51x6EVnWhowwd6SOQ/s1600-h/7song.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWMnvn3ItnMCUZS8r4IweGTQmBxCmQ0DCQIHCPhwb6bfJ1Rj5lV0wNAn3mmrpMA9M-KXM2-wuTlcj-LnMIyG2lbiwjqrjXtqObEjvD70V5AoIkOv9VISL7tNuTj51x6EVnWhowwd6SOQ/s320/7song.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129137709854599378" /></a>Pretty-faced Song (but not my fave!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TDBVaOysbCcrzyy3t6RXgs-WrEUUiKpLfpaWcJvC7EDX-g3cvn2xHx_A5JSOAl0D5bs35MGrbOtYLZk-lLA27FWrkEQWvtnuK18xwGKEQXtgGgo_pBnINaXcKTNvmV33roB7kqSF6QA/s1600-h/8mts.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TDBVaOysbCcrzyy3t6RXgs-WrEUUiKpLfpaWcJvC7EDX-g3cvn2xHx_A5JSOAl0D5bs35MGrbOtYLZk-lLA27FWrkEQWvtnuK18xwGKEQXtgGgo_pBnINaXcKTNvmV33roB7kqSF6QA/s320/8mts.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129138289675184354" /></a><br /><br />A couple more days here then I'm off to Te Anau...<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwq_Y-CV2DzQnYbGHjlN-yN6kmzrRH8KdWNYApLKEPofxqaIT1k8B2Z17WJnNEwm9EF9TRNxm4tYaqvj11k4O9nVLU8duMmsD6s2nOI-Mo5FkiCXjK_HsM2itLkSSRiMl6BtbuU5XnOE4/s1600-h/0yard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwq_Y-CV2DzQnYbGHjlN-yN6kmzrRH8KdWNYApLKEPofxqaIT1k8B2Z17WJnNEwm9EF9TRNxm4tYaqvj11k4O9nVLU8duMmsD6s2nOI-Mo5FkiCXjK_HsM2itLkSSRiMl6BtbuU5XnOE4/s320/0yard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129121423338612866" /></a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-91765016150350469162007-10-29T04:54:00.000-04:002007-10-29T05:42:53.592-04:00Queenstown<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ttGZP-0cYWd1VAAqyw1Ccxq2uddfhwx5sTMM-SnqxFjcxUIXafh28MVmxCvFiC7cdUdIC6KAHJWa0NQhX17RuI2dqngcbNn9X9pRRaRgpKT1x9ruBWB6-i8TokgCtPiU6GNJdN_wF_o/s1600-h/7wharf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ttGZP-0cYWd1VAAqyw1Ccxq2uddfhwx5sTMM-SnqxFjcxUIXafh28MVmxCvFiC7cdUdIC6KAHJWa0NQhX17RuI2dqngcbNn9X9pRRaRgpKT1x9ruBWB6-i8TokgCtPiU6GNJdN_wF_o/s320/7wharf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126689928781491810" /></a><br /><br />Another great city, and surprisingly my favorite big city of the trip so far. You hear lots of negative things about Queenstown, especially that it's just a big party city and too expensive. While these things are true...it's still a lot of fun, lots to do and beautiful scenery. I spent 4 days there...walked around, did some shopping, went on the skyline gondola and watched a "haka" performance. I went to Arrowtown, a small old goldmining town 20 minutes from the city.<br /><br />Saturday night I went out with my roommates (two girls from Long Island) and met up with some other girls from the UK. Such a fun night...did a little bar hopping...got into a little trouble. :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9Lh72J0Xrn0PCz8iGfLJHofW8z7iI-UbpFWTsTaNNkFq4PcCcf_Te0FVEDoolqrGlJnrnwMsMW3x6zD_Jo881QP5Z2HliX1pswAek76W-KysrEb3jcRxO4Q9MmboNJCl5_5J4DIPaWE/s1600-h/1bargirls.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9Lh72J0Xrn0PCz8iGfLJHofW8z7iI-UbpFWTsTaNNkFq4PcCcf_Te0FVEDoolqrGlJnrnwMsMW3x6zD_Jo881QP5Z2HliX1pswAek76W-KysrEb3jcRxO4Q9MmboNJCl5_5J4DIPaWE/s320/1bargirls.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126681394681474578" /></a>The girls...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIZMRWuItVEFwWaiIFSMwenORVb82-ho4q2xZ2zEiruQL4FOKPOHCSfWbcWUV8Gj_cTIMbA3i9-3AKy3rrFZtHRbqhwBUPqxG89ZeTWLlR7CjtNPAAmQGdm0UUA02JkCG4SHaFTsH-KM/s1600-h/2packedbar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIZMRWuItVEFwWaiIFSMwenORVb82-ho4q2xZ2zEiruQL4FOKPOHCSfWbcWUV8Gj_cTIMbA3i9-3AKy3rrFZtHRbqhwBUPqxG89ZeTWLlR7CjtNPAAmQGdm0UUA02JkCG4SHaFTsH-KM/s320/2packedbar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126681665264414242" /></a>Winnie's Bar-It was their Halloween Party!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3j6UsgnkAs4Z92V5Y9Qm375YtTojj6qtwhn4g3lnW7ChWk0_gPxYSwYgLklpmrp13IfYZ55LNkYtIpuhAEcFzGJYrJaWpYt7c3se2X3Y2vi0KyNuBGbv0z80MLy-o7E2veCMsZdTNen8/s1600-h/3roof.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3j6UsgnkAs4Z92V5Y9Qm375YtTojj6qtwhn4g3lnW7ChWk0_gPxYSwYgLklpmrp13IfYZ55LNkYtIpuhAEcFzGJYrJaWpYt7c3se2X3Y2vi0KyNuBGbv0z80MLy-o7E2veCMsZdTNen8/s320/3roof.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126681884307746354" /></a>The roof opened up with hydraulic pumps!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdK5osU7BmtJEq0B-54NiEAElxzWaZ8uvF5KskzcTcxLryr9F1YHBkYrKmlrizhgz_QMUGIH9S9hb6h-FMobnG0UlkMEgvhtxX263DMxi7dHj7N1n7qhPg70JJ_T4fWzW_j98AC7Ui-0/s1600-h/4kelhat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdK5osU7BmtJEq0B-54NiEAElxzWaZ8uvF5KskzcTcxLryr9F1YHBkYrKmlrizhgz_QMUGIH9S9hb6h-FMobnG0UlkMEgvhtxX263DMxi7dHj7N1n7qhPg70JJ_T4fWzW_j98AC7Ui-0/s320/4kelhat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126682232200097346" /></a>After a few rum & cokes...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uC6gRklNFl8HaGp2dKbjUaqmcPD7N9armW45CpsNI3pArtuDV6j0LixjPsEm6UdpccTx-gRt-XULB2BC-iuoAp818lVwWLyS3rlUvGlyl4fDERhUXdISVzYKp1YhNb23Q6n9LlnkTVE/s1600-h/kellstu.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uC6gRklNFl8HaGp2dKbjUaqmcPD7N9armW45CpsNI3pArtuDV6j0LixjPsEm6UdpccTx-gRt-XULB2BC-iuoAp818lVwWLyS3rlUvGlyl4fDERhUXdISVzYKp1YhNb23Q6n9LlnkTVE/s320/kellstu.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126689555119337042" /></a>The girls catch me flirting with a cute Brit...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZSCKh7ZgzUMuJTLP0XIid89ZYSI8VoM3dA-DaBAtBNkcaME8y_cOgx59ogHylZt6O_7U6sMB_DdkA71AK5cuQXN7v64PI3j1XP2_rajbkoV83oGxXi7edHuxpD7OEnlRjyu4_mQCSbw/s1600-h/6remarkables.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZSCKh7ZgzUMuJTLP0XIid89ZYSI8VoM3dA-DaBAtBNkcaME8y_cOgx59ogHylZt6O_7U6sMB_DdkA71AK5cuQXN7v64PI3j1XP2_rajbkoV83oGxXi7edHuxpD7OEnlRjyu4_mQCSbw/s320/6remarkables.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126690070515412594" /></a>The "Remarkables" mountain range...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMr6z_zEFUmYCQX4V4CgFWxYh_I0WMLokMux5crSnVzohyphenhyphenSknCsClVF_WVqo_4R9sOB2TEDiGOdSq4XZruK9aIHUpNg2t4WvN9FZmF3TYs0Zayv6vqWvjzxmYSQf0OrRPnEdJOLMIlUo/s1600-h/9bluewaterview.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMr6z_zEFUmYCQX4V4CgFWxYh_I0WMLokMux5crSnVzohyphenhyphenSknCsClVF_WVqo_4R9sOB2TEDiGOdSq4XZruK9aIHUpNg2t4WvN9FZmF3TYs0Zayv6vqWvjzxmYSQf0OrRPnEdJOLMIlUo/s320/9bluewaterview.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126690830724624002" /></a>View from the top of the gondola...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPpdPH0sLBKR7O2V1Y_2erCqLZtRU6mO4rL6Tt2n1E0JdgzRv-m2jfl4kuH8NTjOGeUFXEQhaY-IC8FJD5MoSN3Q-d-hbP4g7On-AB143Q3IMEwYubWEVe6wOIrrWTczZdiHcSEsakTQ/s1600-h/11moregliders.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPpdPH0sLBKR7O2V1Y_2erCqLZtRU6mO4rL6Tt2n1E0JdgzRv-m2jfl4kuH8NTjOGeUFXEQhaY-IC8FJD5MoSN3Q-d-hbP4g7On-AB143Q3IMEwYubWEVe6wOIrrWTczZdiHcSEsakTQ/s320/11moregliders.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126691620998606482" /></a><br /><br />I've left Queenstown and am now on another sheep farm for a little over a week until I head to Te Anau for the Milford Track.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-34189568725866380942007-10-23T18:22:00.000-04:002019-05-03T11:23:38.227-04:00Till the cows come home...I feel like I’ve fallen so far behind in sharing my stories and photos. It’s just hard to find places to hook up my laptop at times….so….I’ll start with Abel Tasman, round two. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6elkgJ13CookMEZbMqUo8dJn2L082T2x-7dMWzFAWjP4kE40DKFrouzEgdkNyRfaYrOB6sajWC54O33r93el90SGONczW06btfE7ubHAt0s7fGjkpGKbF7uDGTovSW6mvCEoiPWS2bY0/s1600-h/AT5.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124668107700188530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6elkgJ13CookMEZbMqUo8dJn2L082T2x-7dMWzFAWjP4kE40DKFrouzEgdkNyRfaYrOB6sajWC54O33r93el90SGONczW06btfE7ubHAt0s7fGjkpGKbF7uDGTovSW6mvCEoiPWS2bY0/s320/AT5.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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I had a beautiful weekend in Abel Tasman and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. I arrived on a Thursday to Marahau and decided to stay at the Marahau Beach Camp for three nights. It was only $20 a night for a dorm bed so I thought it was a great deal, and they are right on the water. When I arrived, it was like a bit of a ghost town aside from a few other people staying in RVs. The hostel was a small one floor home. It had a dining and kitchen area, bathrooms, a living room with a TV and two large bunk rooms…one with six bunks, the other with five. I was the only one there. At first I was psyched to have the place to myself…but as the sun went down and unfamiliar noises crept around me, I realized that a little company would have been nice! It’s such a strange feeling to go to bed at night alone in a quiet house when you are used to sleeping with at least 4 people in the room with you. Anyway, the next morning I went out by boat to Torrent Bay, but first our skipper drove us up to the seal colony which was really cool. They were just lounging around on the rocks, mostly females with their pups. After being dropped off, I hiked the same route I did last weekend but this time went a bit further to Anchorage Bay. I crossed one inlet which is only possible during low tide. I’ve never walked across such an interesting landscape. I felt like I was in the desert, with nothing but flat barren land around me, except I kept crunching down on occasional spatterings of shells and sometimes my foot would sink into a sludgy section of sand. The coast at Abel Tasman is really neat because it’s shallow for what seems like miles. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagqYieVJjLAxjuxThKbgBkz6TFHsWjf81Q2UaBcG79Q5UQ5l3EtsGMztK6MLiDfEd6P8KJZiDx79rWDBKIafGQAvEcySYKQya0jQvfBn_wWMAxgm3WcRKGbDHsFhrb3ai1fn0hq07hIE/s1600-h/AT1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124668283793847682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagqYieVJjLAxjuxThKbgBkz6TFHsWjf81Q2UaBcG79Q5UQ5l3EtsGMztK6MLiDfEd6P8KJZiDx79rWDBKIafGQAvEcySYKQya0jQvfBn_wWMAxgm3WcRKGbDHsFhrb3ai1fn0hq07hIE/s320/AT1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68v0wFZSPGPeyYouBa1aVR2WKqgkcrGwbAX8YO1_fKkeZEBhRsaqA_xn7Ch2O1LqU_nEXScjEysnTSeBFCjWcX3TGoQDhkQbCFqsfksyu4jyDFG8iuPiHLUE-LDHfcSkZClPy0nJ6oQQ/s1600-h/AT3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124668837844628882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68v0wFZSPGPeyYouBa1aVR2WKqgkcrGwbAX8YO1_fKkeZEBhRsaqA_xn7Ch2O1LqU_nEXScjEysnTSeBFCjWcX3TGoQDhkQbCFqsfksyu4jyDFG8iuPiHLUE-LDHfcSkZClPy0nJ6oQQ/s320/AT3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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At low tide, you can walk out pretty far. So once at Anchorage, I had two hours before the boat arrived so I walked around, took some photos (which I’ll post soon) and just relaxed on the beach. I stayed at the same hostel Friday night, but a couple had now occupied one of the rooms so it wasn’t so eerily quiet. My last night there, I decided to stay at a different hostel called The Barn, on the other side of the village. I wish I had stayed there the whole time because it was so charming. The owner had an adorable jack russell terrier named Doris, who sat at your feet with a ball in her mouth, looking up at you with pleading eyes. ☺<br />
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On the bus ride back to Nelson that Sunday, my mind was wandering about travel. It’s strange how when you wander, with no set plans, wherever you are feels like home. For a bizarre second, the bus felt like home. Maybe because I didn’t know where I was going to stay once I got back to Nelson and it was just a passing feeling of living in the moment. I’ve just finished reading a book called “The Global Soul” by Pico Iyer. It’s basically about multiculturalism and Pico’s travels to find “home” in a world that is getting smaller. The following is a quote from the book that I’d thought I’d share:<br />
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“Birds in flight, claims the architect Vincenzo Volentieri, <br />
are not between places, they carry their places with them.<br />
We never wonder where they live: they are at home in the <br />
sky, in flight. Flight is their way of being in the world.”---- Paul Carter<br />
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Back in Nelson, I spent two nights at the YHA Then the next morning, I took a 5 hour bus ride to Punakaiki, which is on the west coast, in the heart of Paparoa National Park and home to Punakaiki Rocks and Blowholes. Punakaiki means “pancake” in Maori. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtypWEX2mpW-sBRo-4qcoPjBaKCMJrISXtOyaJbNPAs2JgFnjEw7uKxit53Wxz_IbQfqSfNpDuxAItD17wgx8ZJbC974_rSSnvKdLccJX7thJHWT8ZBR0AWCEmW-tQjCngpfxW_zkamU/s1600-h/punakaikirocks2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124669142787306914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtypWEX2mpW-sBRo-4qcoPjBaKCMJrISXtOyaJbNPAs2JgFnjEw7uKxit53Wxz_IbQfqSfNpDuxAItD17wgx8ZJbC974_rSSnvKdLccJX7thJHWT8ZBR0AWCEmW-tQjCngpfxW_zkamU/s320/punakaikirocks2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3-gsDme8GzT03STjKZbWO5XdfEP-q6exQBINYPg0AUtLu3y6ieKqKoYY5BxP4s3dB8NcI4FD4T49hYAGxZd_IsTFfdo8jGmzJM61kkTCaTG5oBHWEmQCs0cKAlf1T9hA2XMvxmlOT1Q/s1600-h/punakakirocks.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124669464909854130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3-gsDme8GzT03STjKZbWO5XdfEP-q6exQBINYPg0AUtLu3y6ieKqKoYY5BxP4s3dB8NcI4FD4T49hYAGxZd_IsTFfdo8jGmzJM61kkTCaTG5oBHWEmQCs0cKAlf1T9hA2XMvxmlOT1Q/s320/punakakirocks.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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The rocks are stacked like (big surprise) pancakes and it’s a spectacular site. I stayed at a great hostel called Te Nikau Retreat, and it’s in an absolutely stunning setting. The west coast has a very different feel to it, in terms of landscape. It’s more rugged with the dramatic mountains and crags meeting the ocean. The beaches are rougher, the sand is darker (black in some spots) and the vegetation seems more like an ancient rainforest that you’d see back in the time of dinosaurs. The hostel is an 8 minute walk from a beautiful beach, with a waterfall, but you have to be careful as it’s a bit rugged. When they say, “Keep to the track” you don’t question them. It’s by no means a swimming beach due to the currents, strong rip tides and gigantic waves, but you can walk along the sand if you are brave enough to endure the sandflies! I thought I was going to be alone again that night, with the hostel to myself, but then arrived a sweet guy from Leeds in the UK. He invited me to join him in the morning to go to the Pancake Rocks (since he had a car). We got up around 10:00, and luckily the rain was holding off. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLE_WFmDcRSwcoMmVNV_KM_Kin3yO3J2ebn6pDMVx9J18WtIDSYh_3QrpKzsYET5Iqibb3aeo0NtezIoHwj9nEs3NbTkt5T92iSMu3SYA1dvvSfYoOgv0vBbKpmPyR7E7C9vsEheMhfu8/s1600-h/punakakime.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124670289543574978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLE_WFmDcRSwcoMmVNV_KM_Kin3yO3J2ebn6pDMVx9J18WtIDSYh_3QrpKzsYET5Iqibb3aeo0NtezIoHwj9nEs3NbTkt5T92iSMu3SYA1dvvSfYoOgv0vBbKpmPyR7E7C9vsEheMhfu8/s320/punakakime.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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The rocks were beautiful and the blowholes quite a force of nature. After snapping lots of photos, we decided to go for a hike along a nearby river trail. The rain started to pick up and the guy at the info center said it would be a nice hike, just avoid crossing the river due to the heavy rain. Initially, we were confused about where the start of the trail was so we started driving down a gravel road and then realized we were actually driving on the trail! So we parked, got out and walked for a couple of hours. I was more engrossed in conversation than the scenery…It turns out that my new friend is touring New Zealand for 4 weeks and then he is headed to Australia to work for a year. We decided to turn around and head back for some lunch. It was only after we were driving back into town that we realized we were not even on the trail that we meant to be on! Nonetheless, it was fun. He offered to drop me off in Hokitika, my next stop, the following morning. He was off to the Franz Josef Glacier. On our way to Hokitika, we came across the most unusual thing. It was a single land bridge for cars, but it was also a rail track for trains. The thing was, there was no warning system in place to tell you if a train was coming. No lights, no bar….you’d have to drive up, and if there was a train coming, you’d have to back up really fast to get out of the way! It was unbelievable. It must be quite an attraction here because when I got to Hokitika they had postcards of these bridges!<br />
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Most recently I spent a week in the Waitaha Valley, not really a town….<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUV0heflLGIMQffVR6vMiNKo_ZYm8dXVv6dHeLYwJmb3BUBG13kk43ezMY41AFYssSA2dNDeYnaHOSUdjZNngCMPzyEpkPoKpP-lusvz5-OCGYz71d29LstZHqwtzhLjXzGuFP5Dgadwg/s1600-h/stu1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124672462797026770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUV0heflLGIMQffVR6vMiNKo_ZYm8dXVv6dHeLYwJmb3BUBG13kk43ezMY41AFYssSA2dNDeYnaHOSUdjZNngCMPzyEpkPoKpP-lusvz5-OCGYz71d29LstZHqwtzhLjXzGuFP5Dgadwg/s320/stu1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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just a community of farms, 40 minutes south of Hokitika. I worked on a dairy farm and it was an interesting experience. We started milking at 6:00 each morning and it usually takes 4 hours or so, then we have to do it again around 5:00 at night. It’s a very, very messy job. The milking machines are in a shed, in a line, and there are maybe 35-40 of them. The cattle are pushed in on either side and are lined up with their rear ends toward the middle and their heads on the outside. To keep them distracted, they eat molasses out of a trough. The milkers walk down in a sunken area in the middle where the machines are. I had to wear old work clothes, rubber boots, and a long rubber apron.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVtsAWCR9UP4is6PzxuKXBFL9jLN-ZyHACHvCsoSWcFHddIZy8RkrMWte5oT-2Mg4TIX0kR_OmLiAvXVTCdqa4SqHabi8J61WGB0FQ68iyFuLY43Bn4wUmx4Id3SUuz-fS7Vk52zUaKo/s1600-h/stu2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124672668955456994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVtsAWCR9UP4is6PzxuKXBFL9jLN-ZyHACHvCsoSWcFHddIZy8RkrMWte5oT-2Mg4TIX0kR_OmLiAvXVTCdqa4SqHabi8J61WGB0FQ68iyFuLY43Bn4wUmx4Id3SUuz-fS7Vk52zUaKo/s320/stu2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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The process starts with Stu (the farmer) hosing down the cattle when they first come in. Then we have to clean off the teats with warm water. Once that’s done, we put on the milking machines. Initially, you can see the milk just flowing through a little glass bubble that indicates how much is coming out. When it’s done, you take it off and place it on the cow on the opposite row. Once the entire row is done, we spray the teats with antibacterial glycerine and then send them out. In total, we milk around 200 cows. We are constantly being pissed and crapped on. I don’t know if any of you have ever been around cow shit, but it’s not firm. It’s like a niagra of green goo. I’m constantly rinsing off my hands and arms. I had no idea that it would burn! We also feed baby calves. One day we had to pull a calf out of a cow. We had been watching her because she was long overdue and she was giving us signs that she was in labor. So we brought her into the yard and had to reach in, put a rope around the calves front feet and pull it out. It turned out to be a HUGE bull calf, but it died because the mother couldn’t push it out on her own. We also had several other incidents like a cow with milk fever (a dangerous fever that's caused by the lack of nutrients-they all go into the milk) and a couple of sick calves. So the team was Stu, Rina, a young woman from Japan who has been here for 6 months, and Ellie, a 19 year old from Germany. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fFrB-m_tOLUj85fuzhcB74Q3KdiHpDM_3sNRdX462EzXjINWC2oHjjGgjAQI6tLWE0GnCALZjJMa2QRqaK1iydNY7QHNmVBERKlGi2y6McSfhZiKzvsDAW7N_2yl3QUadTBRinS5514/s1600-h/atpasture.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124673656797935122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fFrB-m_tOLUj85fuzhcB74Q3KdiHpDM_3sNRdX462EzXjINWC2oHjjGgjAQI6tLWE0GnCALZjJMa2QRqaK1iydNY7QHNmVBERKlGi2y6McSfhZiKzvsDAW7N_2yl3QUadTBRinS5514/s320/atpasture.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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It’s long hours and hard work…I dare say that was the toughest work I’ve had to do yet. We usually finished eating and cleaning up around 11:00 PM, then it was back up at 5:45 AM. The day I left the farm, I started to get sick. I had a fever for around 5 days or so with no other symptoms. The nurses I spoke to said it was a flu that's going around, and I'm starting to finally feel better, though still a bit tired. When I left the farm, I went to Franz Josef, site of the Franz Josef Glacier. I was so excited about being there, I went and booked a full day glacier hike for the following morning at 8:15. I should have rested for a few days...but oh well. The hike was amazing, although it poured the entire time. Franz Josef gets more rain in a day than some countries! So I didn't get any photos unfortunately...but there are lots of things online if you want to see what it looks like. They supplied us with all our gear such as coats, overtrousers, hats, mittens and crampons. It was like another world out there. At one point our guide decided to take us through a crevasse. It was so thin, you had to take off your pack and walk sideways. Our guide got stuck at one point. It was a tight squeeze for me! An Irish girl in our group got completely stuck and it took them about 15 minutes to get her out. It wasn't a nice place to be stuck. If you think about it, the ice could shift at any moment... It was great fun though. I was happy to get home and get into bed. :)<br />
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Currently I'm in Wanaka, an hour north of Queenstown and it's a beautiful town right beside a huge lake/mountains. I'm not sure how long I'll be here... I'm trying to decide what I'm doing next but I'll keep you posted! :)Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-23544905900698982192007-10-02T17:02:00.000-04:002007-10-02T17:17:21.682-04:00Exciting news...I'm hiking the Milford Track in November!!! I originally thought it was completely booked up but there were spaces available late October and mid-November. October and November is a bit of a dangerous time to hike it because of the risk of avalanches, but the DOC staff seem to keep everyone well informed, so I think it will be fine. The only thing is, if there is a track closure, you either need to be lifted around the danger by helicopter (!) or cancel the rest of the hike. The Milford Track is one of the "Great Walks" here in New Zealand. I'm doing it independently, although 40 people a day are allowed to begin. Bookings are essential due to the hut capacities. The hike is only accessible by boat.<br /><a href="http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/trackandwalk.aspx?id=36688"><br />Read about it here</a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-5951718803502825612007-09-30T16:45:00.000-04:002007-09-30T17:46:19.140-04:00A day in Abel Tasman...I was so excited to get out to Abel Tasman National Park http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProfile.aspx?id=38455. I booked my ticket for this past Sunday. The whole track takes 3-4 days with stops in huts or campgrounds along the way. I'm not quite prepared as I didn't bring my sleeping bag or a tent so I just decided on a day trip. Hopped on the bus at 7:30 AM and headed an hour north to Kaiteriteri. The plan was to take a water taxi from Kaiteriteri, be dropped off in Torrent Bay, then hike up to Bark Bay, get picked up by the water taxi and brought back to Kaiteriteri. It was a great plan until the sky decided to open up. I stepped into a small shop while waiting for the taxi. A lady walked from out back and started chatting with me about what I was doing. She said, "It will be an interesting ride for you today!" For a split second I thought I should cancel it for the day and reschedule, but I was optimistic that the rain would subside. Several of you will scold me for this but I wasn't prepared as much as I should have been. I had my raincoat, but not my pants (just some hiking pants). <br /><br />As we boarded the small motorboat (there were 4 others silly as me to attempt the walk), our driver handed us life jackets and said, "it's going to be rough out there today." I thought to myself, "it can't be that bad. I've been on choppy water before" I was so wrong. I've NEVER been on water like that before. It was terrifying and so much fun! The swells were enormous. We would climb to the top of a wave, be airborne for 2 seconds then KA-BOOM! slam back down onto the water, then up, up, up, KA-BOOM! Each time the boat came back down, it sounded as if it were going to split in half and the impact rattled our brains as we lunged forward. I was holding on to the bar in front of me with a white-knuckled grip. The waves were coming from all directions and the driver was constantly looking around us for waves that might come down over us. All the while I was trying to keep my eyes on the horizon towards land, but it was difficult. The boat would lean sideways while we were at the bottom of a swell, then I could feel the boat rise up, the land would appear but suddenly a giant wall of water would block it again, leaving us encircled. It was hard to get a sense of direction. We finally arrived at Torrent Bay. He pulled the boat up to the beach and we quickly hopped off. The rain was torrential and I was already hopelessly soaked and chilled. The scenery on Torrent Bay was stunning. I had my camera in my bag but was unable to take any photos obviously. I took time to appreciate the beach as much as I could, and then hurried to the trail where I could be under the cover of the trees. They didn't help much and the trail was a river of mud. At that point I began to wonder how I would survive two hours of this. I began to walk quickly, keeping in mind there was a hut with a fireplace at Bark Bay where I could eat my lunch and dry off. I took in as much as possible, I didn't want my time here to go to waste. The rain let up for a half hour period as I approached a huge swing bridge. It had a warning sign of a maximum of 5 people. It crossed a river which came down from the mountainside. Looking up there was a huge raging waterfall and down river it led to the sea. It was beautiful. I stood in the middle of the bridge for several moments, listening to the water and feeling the wind rock it back and forth. I noticed movement in the water below and saw that there were seals playing and fishing directly underneath me! It was so cool to see them pop up, sometimes leap up out of the water and carry fish along in their mouths. They looked up at me curiously. I did manage to snap a couple of photos of them. I then realized that my camera bag was soaked through. Time to keep moving! <br /><br />I arrived at the hut where there were other people taking shelter, their clothes and boots hanging over the tiny gas stove, trying to soak up as much heat as they could. My hand were numb and my fingers barely able to function as I tried to eat my lunch. I had walked so fast that I now had three hours at the hut. The others arrived shortly after me. None of us had the will to explore anymore...we just wanted shelter. I took a nap after eating my lunch, as did everyone else. The rain wasn't letting up. People started to slowly clear out of the hut and head back out on the trail. The water taxi was picking us up from this beach so we just had to wait. At 3:00, the three of us left put our sopping wet gear back on and headed down to the beach. We had to jump on board quickly as the waves were crashing and it was quite dangerous for us and the boat. The ride back was just like the one in, except this time the driver was looking around much more cautiously, and several times he had to go full throttle to avoid waves chasing us down. Two of the ladies on the boat were supposed to be dropped of in the bay above Kaiteriteri but they had to come in with us because it was too dangerous in that bay. So we all breathed a sigh of relief as we pulled up to the shore. As we were handing our life jackets to the driver, he laughed and said "Thank god that's over." <br /><br />I'm hoping to go back on a nice sunny day. There were so many moments that I wanted to pull out my camera but couldn't. Perhaps if Marmy and Jim come out to see me we can go there. You would love it. :) (hint, hint)Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-22078598962076724922007-09-26T17:19:00.000-04:002007-09-26T17:44:39.419-04:00TailingBelow are some photos that Adi took on tailing day. We drenched, vaccinated and tailed over 300 lambs! The photos below are not gory and they are not close ups, but if you don't want to see tailing, then skip the pics. :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNvZUkZ6m-ccWqy-tVX23ZUwul7CA-ZkzrFOjTmG4YLkOE7xW50b9IuE0qwphzRizRaKfRaeSnJt7Gp1r_oC_jP3PicEj88vce9wV1igY2dFQ2USC1GM5riUwUCgTbCFQ6RyzO3cOZcc/s1600-h/securedownload-3.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNvZUkZ6m-ccWqy-tVX23ZUwul7CA-ZkzrFOjTmG4YLkOE7xW50b9IuE0qwphzRizRaKfRaeSnJt7Gp1r_oC_jP3PicEj88vce9wV1igY2dFQ2USC1GM5riUwUCgTbCFQ6RyzO3cOZcc/s320/securedownload-3.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114626279137549362" /></a> Vaccinating<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgZHR3T_VhOeipJH93wTtt1KPUTMtLLUE-kRaXGxoQs9WPNgw3IBLouY_3nksOkKz2bdsfdSHdVKIizdbvQKbdkCYwxRSUKXFWbzhUmFtxzJIWSE_jx1BycMx7wHFgb3oVe1ITCES4fk/s1600-h/me.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgZHR3T_VhOeipJH93wTtt1KPUTMtLLUE-kRaXGxoQs9WPNgw3IBLouY_3nksOkKz2bdsfdSHdVKIizdbvQKbdkCYwxRSUKXFWbzhUmFtxzJIWSE_jx1BycMx7wHFgb3oVe1ITCES4fk/s320/me.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114629298499558466" /></a>I look a little too giddy with that needle in my hand<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGulOsstSr5xyc6wBLvuIZpQ_gVa8dhDOiTBBc18q_sDuGBXjCmYGqaiBZNSogZ3YhxcvRZ5NxHZ3GrDa0zaOePS5bpMdpWmiH1oIEkbpxth5oTPAME45bEx32BCY2VHUEhfDz5_dpiOY/s1600-h/tailing1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGulOsstSr5xyc6wBLvuIZpQ_gVa8dhDOiTBBc18q_sDuGBXjCmYGqaiBZNSogZ3YhxcvRZ5NxHZ3GrDa0zaOePS5bpMdpWmiH1oIEkbpxth5oTPAME45bEx32BCY2VHUEhfDz5_dpiOY/s320/tailing1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114631179695234130" /></a>Me, Hayden (Adrian's son), Tom and NickyKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-37652240616629801092007-09-25T02:03:00.000-04:002007-09-25T02:05:30.498-04:00NEW PHOTOS!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxmv66QvqWg2SQYpnGmgFI6veSf9kUobWT3Zjm7L5zC2CCnfThjihJaAlu7jOPl8sVYZquofnv6s7vBo-DEbdbTbaCAHiNCyE4nq_dM75agbt3ODI41wqHoY8oS2MYqBhS-XbSv4X6Z4/s1600-h/sign.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxmv66QvqWg2SQYpnGmgFI6veSf9kUobWT3Zjm7L5zC2CCnfThjihJaAlu7jOPl8sVYZquofnv6s7vBo-DEbdbTbaCAHiNCyE4nq_dM75agbt3ODI41wqHoY8oS2MYqBhS-XbSv4X6Z4/s320/sign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114018730243726370" /></a><br /><br />I’ve posted photos! There are too many to post up here so please check out my Picasa site for the full set! The link is on the lower right side. Oh, Danny and Gram- regarding the photo of the fern…It’s actually a tree fern…either a ponga or a black tree fern.<br /><br />With a heavy heart I left Totaranui. What an amazing place and a wonderful family! I hope that my experiences to come can rival it. Thanks Adi, Adrian & Keelan! I will miss you! <br /><br />Wellington was a great city. I spent two days at the YHA…and to be honest it was a big retail therapy trip. I shopped, rode the old cable car up to the Botanical Gardens (which were beautiful). I’d say they are right up there with the Boboli Gardens in Florence. I had lunch at J.J. Murphy’s, an Irish pub. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to charge my camera battery before I left for Wellington so I didn’t get any photos. But I may go back.<br /><br />Now I’m in Nelson. Adi and Adrianne dropped me off on en route to a ski trip they are taking. What a great little town. Nelson is THE sunniest place in the South Island (so they claim). It’s at the very top of the South Island right on the Golden Coast, just south of the Abel Tasman National Park. There’s lots of art and craftsmen, coffee shops, restaurants and galleries. The Nelson Market is held every Saturday, where artists sell their goods on the street. The night I arrived, I met a traveling nurse from the UK. We walked into town to get some wine and then headed back to the hostel where there was an acoustic guitar jam session in full swing. What a fun way to kick things off.<br /><br />This morning I got up early, as I like to do when I’m in a new place. I like to get out and watch the town wake up….get a cup of coffee, see the shops put out their signs, and plan what I will do for the day. Most of the activity and buzz is on Hardy Street and around the cathedral. I visited the jeweler that created the rings for the movie “The Lord of the Rings”! They have several of them on display in various sizes because when they were filmed, they needed large and small sizes. It was actually quite interesting.<br /><br />So my next step is to find a job! I’ll keep you posted…Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-71897283256647825102007-09-14T05:24:00.000-04:002007-09-14T05:31:49.770-04:00Just thought I'd post a few quick pics from our walk the other day.....These were taken by Irma, a lady in the walking group:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LFKv6oZ7eud0X0mS4T8smiyadMuiQ8_7t5WgkNrno7Ey7hhV00Rj6TF0aiT6NGgVJEDl8UwyKIFMghC5coDyX6ZmYAEa92tlsoLQsKClzr2ggWqd-I20o8Dt1VmRueEKY2ICFGnT1Q8/s1600-h/securedownload-2.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7LFKv6oZ7eud0X0mS4T8smiyadMuiQ8_7t5WgkNrno7Ey7hhV00Rj6TF0aiT6NGgVJEDl8UwyKIFMghC5coDyX6ZmYAEa92tlsoLQsKClzr2ggWqd-I20o8Dt1VmRueEKY2ICFGnT1Q8/s320/securedownload-2.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109988679447889858" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZVxfKXjXZWkSc8sQJf9yL_A6gTfvqybAZ_VqcaoVyNUgHylluob7WIis4c-FJlpyJINgGFRY9FrsQ8wMtYEx2dPvdWFDddYau7CyBpQHBRktKWMBD1kBoE-7wXMDdfAn3UYyJV-FHYw/s1600-h/securedownload.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZVxfKXjXZWkSc8sQJf9yL_A6gTfvqybAZ_VqcaoVyNUgHylluob7WIis4c-FJlpyJINgGFRY9FrsQ8wMtYEx2dPvdWFDddYau7CyBpQHBRktKWMBD1kBoE-7wXMDdfAn3UYyJV-FHYw/s320/securedownload.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109989074584881106" /></a>Walking out to the trail from the farm...<br /><br />On Sunday I'm flying out to Wellington for a few days! I'm excited to see the city. I don't have lots of time (only 1 full day) but I figured since I was up this way, I'd take the opportunity to check it out. Then I'm returning to Totaranui Farm for another week...This farm has been one of the highlights of my trip so far.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-48307192041553341002007-09-10T06:14:00.000-04:002007-09-10T06:25:52.269-04:00A traditional Kiwi meal and my first midwife experience...Yesterday was cold and full of drizzle. In the morning we went to feed out the cattle and check for new calves. In the early afternoon we mustered some of the sheep for tailing, vaccination and drenching. Tailing is for the lambs…they are placed in a harness and their tails are cut off using a special tool that cauterizes the skin so they don’t bleed as much. It sounds awful and from what I’ve heard, it’s not a fun job, but it’s important for their health because it keeps their rear ends clean and helps to prevent flystrike. It started to rain a little and the day seemed to get away from us so we decided to wait for another day. Adi and I drove Adrian up one of the valleys so he could pick up the digger and drive it home. We stopped at two different river crossings on the way back. The rivers here are beautiful with big boulders and little waterfalls with palm, manuka and gum trees all around them.<br /><br />We stopped by one of the yards to check on a ewe that began lambing while we were mustering. She is actually a hogget. A hogget is a year old sheep, and they usually run into trouble when lambing, so Adrian had placed her in a separate pen so we could keep an eye on her. So when Adi and I approached her, we noticed that she had started to give birth, but the head was coming out first and appeared to be stuck. This was potentially serious because both the ewe and the lamb could die. With lambs, you want to see the two front feet coming out first. So we needed to help her. We went back to the house for supplies: a bucket with disinfectant, towel, and elbow length plastic gloves. Once we caught her, I held her still while Adi went to work, pushing the lamb back in so she could grab the legs and pull them forward. It’s not as easy as it sounds. It wasn’t a pleasant experience for the ewe as you can imagine. Adi had to fish around for the legs, going under a shoulder bone. Every time she made a little progress the ewe had another contraction and we would have to wait. Finally she found both legs and pulled them forward, getting the lamb in the correct position. We then left her alone to give birth. The less you interfere, the better chance the lamb and ewe will bond. Both are doing fine now. :)<br /><br />I wanted to take a picture of the scarf I’m knitting but the battery on my camera has run out and I don’t have an electric converter for my charger out here! I’ll have to wait until the next time I’m in town. I call it my swiss cheese scarf because I’ve somehow managed to create a pattern with little holes. I’m using pretty red wool that Adi gave me.<br /><br />Tonight Adrian brought me outside to show me a possum up in a tree. Then I watched him pluck the fur after he had shot it (I didn’t want to watch the actual shooting). Possum fur is expensive here and you can get good money for it. There’s been lots of hunting going on here. One of Adrian’s sons came to the farm this weekend to do some wild pig and deer hunting. They got two pigs and a deer. I’m not sure if I mentioned this before but Adrian has 4 sons. Keelan (10 and lives here at the farm), Fraser (18 or 19?), Hayden (21?) and Garreth (24). Adi has one son, Daniel, and he is 15 or 16 I think. Other than Keelan, the boys live in other areas.<br /><br />Tonight we had flounder for dinner and it was fantastic…and I mean a whole fish, not the filleted stuff you see in the frozen section of stores. Adi, Adrian and the boys fish for flounder with spears here in the sounds. They had to show me how to eat it properly because there are lots of little bones. We had pavlova for dessert, which Adi and I made this morning, topped with whipped cream, pineapple and kiwi fruit. We decided to make it because the chooks have been laying eggs like crazy and we need to use them up! The recipe calls for 5 eggs.<br /><br />Tomorrow there is a walking group coming and we are going to walk one of the tracks that I haven’t seen yet. I’m excited to see a new area of the property….if only my camera worked!!!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-1751155933232386202007-09-05T04:56:00.000-04:002007-09-05T07:16:23.250-04:00The Marlborough Sounds and Totaranui<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYKMxC8C3zLwhMf9UIXYDq_GxtXzRU8O4No4M9CCgn2rTzR5Ff6SRF7LRhkgZrIDo0TK9_J6lIhrTNwgsytFyPRnZbo_RazHmdzZnf6Xbha6pKS38QLaTtbc_5u1WCEvLJGGCHK5Khco/s1600-h/picton.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYKMxC8C3zLwhMf9UIXYDq_GxtXzRU8O4No4M9CCgn2rTzR5Ff6SRF7LRhkgZrIDo0TK9_J6lIhrTNwgsytFyPRnZbo_RazHmdzZnf6Xbha6pKS38QLaTtbc_5u1WCEvLJGGCHK5Khco/s320/picton.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106642144891362018" /></a><br /><br />I arrived in Picton on Friday, the 24th. It’s a quiet little seaport town with a nice downtown area and harbour. This is where the Interislander ferry docks when bringing people from the North Island to the South. I spent three nights at Sequoia Lodge Backpackers just on the very edge of town. It was about a 10 minute walk to the harbour. The hostel was really nice…huge kitchen with everything you could possibly need, lounge area with a log burner, TV room, internet and a cedar spa. I never got around to using that. AND they baked and served chocolate pudding (bread style pudding) every night. I puttered around town seeing the sights. I visited the Edwin Fox…the 9th oldest ship in the world! They have a small museum for it and you are actually able to walk around inside of it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhu4NuMv5ZFQG52HmcdcF2MJLH5dvoyHVWqP71QCMLIW9_jT91KEHUIJZ-n_JjGLPqWTAP3Q7MQiYx_sxc2vRKYZPn9rA_HOUeia3bNMsUDKMBPlrwHiT5eLv3T1lGK8Rtxcyen7NZVkY/s1600-h/betsyfootshot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhu4NuMv5ZFQG52HmcdcF2MJLH5dvoyHVWqP71QCMLIW9_jT91KEHUIJZ-n_JjGLPqWTAP3Q7MQiYx_sxc2vRKYZPn9rA_HOUeia3bNMsUDKMBPlrwHiT5eLv3T1lGK8Rtxcyen7NZVkY/s320/betsyfootshot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106641908668160722" /></a><br /><br />That Saturday I decided to hike part of the Queen Charlotte Track from the very top, at Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge. It took around 3.5 hours. Ship Cove is where Captain Cook landed and spent some time when first exploring New Zealand. The hike was beautiful. We couldn’t have had more gorgeous weather. The Queen Charlotte Track can only be hiked one way, and you have to access the starting point by boat. The boat left the harbour around 9AM. There were probably 30 people total. The forest was beautiful with all kinds of palms and vines I’d never seen before. Towards the end of the hike there are some beautiful beaches with aqua blue water. I ventured down to one of them and started snapping pictures. I noticed two bikes on the beach (with no one around) but thought nothing of it as there was a big group of mountain bikers doing the track that day. I heard a strange noise….was that…moaning??? I turned to my left and saw the naked ass of a woman partially hidden by bushes! I immediately turned and walked really fast back up to the trail, with my hand over my mouth, trying not to laugh. They must have thought the hikers were well behind them! The track is unique in that there are little cottages and small lodges/resorts that are connected to the track via side trails. Usually they are down near the water. So if you are hiking along and decide you want to stop for the night (for those that do the whole 4 day hike) you can stay at these places. As usual, I took lots of pics so I will try to post those soon.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwu6bsqL56sjCzC9Iwmuggr3O5NnxHT7p4zrb_Tk8LccE4xtBTSxnOtusu9WCgM4oJuWH2OAyliRSYeayQ-G9CZ_S8m3kk2RnBl3Vv6xcv2wZnHJV0iFcVeUZnBjw2yukbqgpWkJ_vvek/s1600-h/palms.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwu6bsqL56sjCzC9Iwmuggr3O5NnxHT7p4zrb_Tk8LccE4xtBTSxnOtusu9WCgM4oJuWH2OAyliRSYeayQ-G9CZ_S8m3kk2RnBl3Vv6xcv2wZnHJV0iFcVeUZnBjw2yukbqgpWkJ_vvek/s320/palms.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106642406884367090" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjap1UjFNBsXByOFNIepx_NO8NfWYw5LlSuZlrIeXrg5GRola1oCGCZHfF9duCSk6drNv48rcW2LsDXClatep4zcqpe4Pn2xq7hZc2sEvpxCfMz5_Ji3bvVn4BWSKAei18lZrkyJ0XvMUs/s1600-h/wharf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjap1UjFNBsXByOFNIepx_NO8NfWYw5LlSuZlrIeXrg5GRola1oCGCZHfF9duCSk6drNv48rcW2LsDXClatep4zcqpe4Pn2xq7hZc2sEvpxCfMz5_Ji3bvVn4BWSKAei18lZrkyJ0XvMUs/s320/wharf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106642711827045122" /></a><br /><br />Upon returning to the hostel, I decided to look for another farm to work at. I came across a place in the Marlborough Sounds nearby. Adrian Harvey and Adi Watson are my new hosts and they are wonderful …very friendly and have lots of interesting stories about the area. The farm is in Clova Bay. Clova Bay is on a peninsula above the Queen Charlotte Track. It’s a 2 hour drive from Picton or an hour drive if you take the water taxi to Torea Bay (which is what I did). Adi picked me up there. She was a nurse for 30 years but mostly she works on the farm now. Her partner Adrian grew up on the farm. It’s been in his family for 5 generations and they have quite a bit of info about it. They also have an earthmoving business. It’s very, very remote. 2 hours to any stores, gas stations…pretty much anything. They only have a handful of neighbors spread out over several miles. If you are injured, most likely they need to send in a helicopter to bring you to Blenheim or Havelock perhaps. The house is nestled at the foot of a mountain with streams running through the property. In fact, there are mountains on three sides with fields and the bay about a 15 minute walk away. There are beautiful pastures, trails, and old house sites. The house itself is filled with charm. It was built in the late 1800s and has lots of neat little cupboards and contraptions that I’m constantly trying to figure out what they are. There are old hearths and a neat old iron safe, where they used to put hot irons that had been heated by the stove. The original wallpaper is still up in the living room! They have sheep, Angus cattle, chooks, two dogs-Beetle and Belle, a handful of cats, and a pet lamb named Betsy. I’ve been calling her Bitsy because that’s what it sounds like when they say her name. She’s adorable and follows us around everywhere. We also have to bottle feed her which is so much fun! You know when it’s feeding time because she baaas at the kitchen door. She’s even started scratching at it! The cattle are calving right now and so far there are around 12 new calves…just days old. Adi names them and records all the births in a log book. She named one after me… it’s very cute being all black with a grey ear, and just the other day she named one Kayde after my sister. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDPwhu17B2cl9Q7XI_NXwhExSaEvs4cDJtEWdbFVz-Ftmy6R2buEmtGhALt1cb6sOZq1wLBwhSMA0vFIQYH8xqJf1SqPvBXZGPXpeenMlqB-NG6zUDtWADnOCZR_gdwYfQ7EfLebjaTk/s1600-h/totaranui.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDPwhu17B2cl9Q7XI_NXwhExSaEvs4cDJtEWdbFVz-Ftmy6R2buEmtGhALt1cb6sOZq1wLBwhSMA0vFIQYH8xqJf1SqPvBXZGPXpeenMlqB-NG6zUDtWADnOCZR_gdwYfQ7EfLebjaTk/s320/totaranui.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106642952345213714" /></a><br /><br />My accommodation is in a cozy little caravan. I have a fridge and stove and running water…I just have to shower and use the toilet in a separate outhouse. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdkrX9HubJqhpFHENcV1Oo3a4jRInFgMBoZOdDrQiRN6sP9cBHRMRotfuTjXkJU5EHDXstg6CWTWSul_SKkDeTHt8hUijhBENc04eerKN3JLyG1G-1wpuX1pD6EgfAQ-JH4lD3vjjC4Q/s1600-h/sheep.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdkrX9HubJqhpFHENcV1Oo3a4jRInFgMBoZOdDrQiRN6sP9cBHRMRotfuTjXkJU5EHDXstg6CWTWSul_SKkDeTHt8hUijhBENc04eerKN3JLyG1G-1wpuX1pD6EgfAQ-JH4lD3vjjC4Q/s320/sheep.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106651005408893794" /></a><br /><br />So far I’ve helped with their veggie gardens and some other clean-up, wall repair, painting, cooking, baking etc…I’m learning a lot about traditional kiwi food here. I dug up an old strawberry bed and separated out the plants because we are putting them in a different garden. You’d never think that such an ordinary task could be such a beautiful thing but it really was. The sun was shining, I was mucking around in the dirt, Betsy was grazing just outside the fence and then snoozed in the shade next to me…all in the setting of these beautiful mountains and pastures. The cherry trees are in blossom too and smell wonderful. This Friday Adrian and I got in the truck and drove around the property to look for Peaches, a cow that had just given birth, but we couldn’t find her. He showed me some of the paddocks and where the old sawmill used to be. We stopped and I picked daffodils and snowdrops that are growing wild where an old house used to be. On our way back, we were driving across streams and rocky pastures, cattle and sheep with their lambs stood in our path and took their sweet time getting out of the way. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1MZOnQGNg4y5eO09pE9oW7ns_jDTF5SBgd391aXF4_yTCQM2Rp-SQZF0TBuVn6ykbBZtwwy1RuIi8E4RBJoG6-d7Eu0OQayjazC44uNtfFxJoKdtlQb_ubhnges85MSb0vStHWioelc/s1600-h/blossoms.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1MZOnQGNg4y5eO09pE9oW7ns_jDTF5SBgd391aXF4_yTCQM2Rp-SQZF0TBuVn6ykbBZtwwy1RuIi8E4RBJoG6-d7Eu0OQayjazC44uNtfFxJoKdtlQb_ubhnges85MSb0vStHWioelc/s320/blossoms.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106650794955496274" /></a><br /><br />The other day I drove the tractor pictured below back from the cattle paddocks. I only stalled it once. You’d be proud Marmy, it’s a manual. Haha Today we had to rescue a ewe and her newborn twins because a southwesterly blew in with cold wind and rain. The lambs would have died from the cold. So Adi and I scooped them up and placed them in a box with some wool while Adrian captured the ewe and loaded her into the back of the truck. They will stay in the woolshed until the lambs are stronger.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNzSaYyf7GWtOWHuW0xgmh0mYFQOZslXaAZa2cGsIXsn-0ZJTpJY3Ca5Gbz599PU3Dj_c3kVBXHH20BoFrgQhwV7rqsoug9rFDq9DOKZUNCUaRdN7A5aHY0Rbi_qwZvzWLGs88h-ZGZc/s1600-h/tractor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNzSaYyf7GWtOWHuW0xgmh0mYFQOZslXaAZa2cGsIXsn-0ZJTpJY3Ca5Gbz599PU3Dj_c3kVBXHH20BoFrgQhwV7rqsoug9rFDq9DOKZUNCUaRdN7A5aHY0Rbi_qwZvzWLGs88h-ZGZc/s320/tractor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106668902537616242" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow Adi and I are going to a mosaic class. She is also going to teach me how to spin wool and to knit!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfIFZcm49aHjs64kOz113xnXZlQpVYurLpr_XyHMcjkOoqxxIoOZor5rcmfRQFI27-ckIYGSSFiHw4hgTZszYwo5ReCUtI6teFHUdDOTxySCMR2qoGOKGVttfNjTpb-rWuSW3wz8nKMs/s1600-h/cattle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfIFZcm49aHjs64kOz113xnXZlQpVYurLpr_XyHMcjkOoqxxIoOZor5rcmfRQFI27-ckIYGSSFiHw4hgTZszYwo5ReCUtI6teFHUdDOTxySCMR2qoGOKGVttfNjTpb-rWuSW3wz8nKMs/s320/cattle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106643201453316898" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTJHBxFz-NUvZ5PzRDVR1M7HMpjuuDUc1kpmGwXWAPDP1GMAcVQR0rXUTUk3zWqAKjrs1zzhJ3LfffygNXSxm2rZIs2xCY9ECeDwktr28XRNBcWQ4d11y0c8OXneSTVqjWJqapLBpg6w/s1600-h/beetle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTJHBxFz-NUvZ5PzRDVR1M7HMpjuuDUc1kpmGwXWAPDP1GMAcVQR0rXUTUk3zWqAKjrs1zzhJ3LfffygNXSxm2rZIs2xCY9ECeDwktr28XRNBcWQ4d11y0c8OXneSTVqjWJqapLBpg6w/s320/beetle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106650661811510082" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7FS3PgKMQZwfFa-gy1AqDE_x3fzvxRgSwRpT85gDEVALOl9bvu-hLKsQC-eqBZrgAkACvSp5qR7RJ07kGaXoZnUEHETbV7iNiZGE784K6aTTPr_iadhT3RZdVM7UA6rbT9GjaE7BtXo/s1600-h/Kelly.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7FS3PgKMQZwfFa-gy1AqDE_x3fzvxRgSwRpT85gDEVALOl9bvu-hLKsQC-eqBZrgAkACvSp5qR7RJ07kGaXoZnUEHETbV7iNiZGE784K6aTTPr_iadhT3RZdVM7UA6rbT9GjaE7BtXo/s320/Kelly.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106643506395994930" /></a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-59050486038172683632007-08-22T23:49:00.000-04:002007-08-23T00:02:20.657-04:00Wine or whine...you decide.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBTqJTAMPQEXscALaCeg-Lk8hyphenhyphencjuXHQXuB6nj2MyXpMwsSZLxrw38stYnSugr4gCEOI2KACXekSGQJ7nN4Fh0VRoBPKdR1p_bvjgxQ0c3jaANYQT1jW5KVgM90QlNIA9pMrp4ulaW4w/s1600-h/Nautilus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBTqJTAMPQEXscALaCeg-Lk8hyphenhyphencjuXHQXuB6nj2MyXpMwsSZLxrw38stYnSugr4gCEOI2KACXekSGQJ7nN4Fh0VRoBPKdR1p_bvjgxQ0c3jaANYQT1jW5KVgM90QlNIA9pMrp4ulaW4w/s320/Nautilus.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101739353823631954" /></a><br /><br />Today I decided to go to the wineries. I figured I should do it while I’m here…I’m spending all this money on the hotel, I might as well make the most of Blenheim. It is why I stopped here after all. I looked into tours but most companies that I spoke to aren’t running them now because it’s their off season. So the only other option was to rent a car. It’s too far to walk. I pondered this for awhile because it was expensive and I wanted to make sure it would be worth the money. I just decided to go for it…I’d just have to limit my tastings because I’d be driving. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Da6_7jfwX-Gj2vlLrij1Zdmeevp4YBsJxnif1fEhQODXBmtgASvq5bcYOk_7MVqUvmSOzsgMbxYNenrtY9xuChIaZFWWEEQq9KJC9aFLkQZcvXWvwyX9uv4Nd_NAELl35Y-2WiVJzGM/s1600-h/CloudyBay.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Da6_7jfwX-Gj2vlLrij1Zdmeevp4YBsJxnif1fEhQODXBmtgASvq5bcYOk_7MVqUvmSOzsgMbxYNenrtY9xuChIaZFWWEEQq9KJC9aFLkQZcvXWvwyX9uv4Nd_NAELl35Y-2WiVJzGM/s320/CloudyBay.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101739121895397954" /></a> Cloudy Bay Winery<br /><br />I had a great time… I went to 5 or 6 different places. The scenery was really nice. Surprisingly, Pinot Noir is very big here…surprising because it’s not the ideal conditions for it but there are several outstanding varieties. I had a great (ie expensive & guilt-ridden) lunch at the Highfield Estate.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ291xsHB0SUsD7Ipl6nd30X_CO7sc7v9a9b1esZ5yV3IRLSu7wZNE0mM3eVGv9NEF0-NR9WfU_SLEMkPvFHkptEYJ-O6jwaebZs5F9ML1skyd3jvYex2fMfCG5KYHgm71ds9n0f9Fu_0/s1600-h/Highfield.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ291xsHB0SUsD7Ipl6nd30X_CO7sc7v9a9b1esZ5yV3IRLSu7wZNE0mM3eVGv9NEF0-NR9WfU_SLEMkPvFHkptEYJ-O6jwaebZs5F9ML1skyd3jvYex2fMfCG5KYHgm71ds9n0f9Fu_0/s320/Highfield.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101739504147487330" /></a>Highfield Estate<br /><br />I wanted to buy wine for several of you as surprise gifts. I made my selections, and then excitedly made my way to back to town to the post office, picked out some mailing supplies and went up to the window. “We cannot mail wine to the USA and Canada” the voice from behind the counter stated. “Because of their regulations it’s not permitted.” So I sadly turned to put my mailers back and shuffled home in defeat. Why didn't I know this already?<br /><br />I considered mailing them anyway but if they check them at customs, would I get a fine or in some sort of trouble? I’m so disappointed. Arrrggghhh!<br /><br />So Marmy/Jim, ZC/UJ, and Eric….enjoy the photos of your wine. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Dfc37lgFZG775KECBUEVSve8-b9cAnYRAtD_brBj-GJig7N25WLZJjc6jI5VtSngxFXPhrpNpWMFJMjJx7pycfQ75-mLzkiSE3jpIvTSubaPY11LOgHQWaw4pt1t8MAZPHNz2jA9kuY/s1600-h/Wrappedwine.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Dfc37lgFZG775KECBUEVSve8-b9cAnYRAtD_brBj-GJig7N25WLZJjc6jI5VtSngxFXPhrpNpWMFJMjJx7pycfQ75-mLzkiSE3jpIvTSubaPY11LOgHQWaw4pt1t8MAZPHNz2jA9kuY/s320/Wrappedwine.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101739710305917554" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CppdjqvKoSBa4sDQyxmmMcCbxW3Ycwqv1M1E1Yq55muqBxv_Uq89JZ76t1H8NPNdyE0LluhZyfPb3Tu750A1TrlE36HRNzEtmgekW99hpx5rBIcmFS6NzPpXKUvB4vFHnwNIfKQo54I/s1600-h/Bottles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CppdjqvKoSBa4sDQyxmmMcCbxW3Ycwqv1M1E1Yq55muqBxv_Uq89JZ76t1H8NPNdyE0LluhZyfPb3Tu750A1TrlE36HRNzEtmgekW99hpx5rBIcmFS6NzPpXKUvB4vFHnwNIfKQo54I/s320/Bottles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101739847744871042" /></a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-64216613704349909942007-08-21T23:02:00.000-04:002007-08-21T23:06:30.691-04:00Another night in Christchurch…..I left the beautiful little village of Akaroa yesterday! The night before I stayed at Chez La Mer Backpackers right downtown.It's a charming little place. I was just thrilled because of their shower. It was the first one since I arrived in New Zealand that wasn't shoulder height!!!<br /><br />I arrived in Christchurch just as it was getting dark so I made my way over to Base Backpackers. What a cool place! I felt like I was in a huge college dorm all over again, but better. They had a huge kitchen, a TV room about 3/4 the size of a basketball court, giant big screen, and comfy couches and bean bags everywhere. I stayed in the Sanctuary, which is an all women section and bathrooms. Upon getting to my room, I met an American woman who was on her way to Antarctica to work for several months. Apparently she is going to be running some sort of retail store at the base there. She warned me ahead of time that she needed to leave by 4AM but would be as quiet as she could!<br /><br />Then I met Katie, a sweet British girl. She was in as much awe as I was about the fun and unique atmosphere of Base. We met up with a friend of hers, Kate (also from the UK), and a Japanese girl (I forget her name now). We all went to the curry restaurant next door for dinner. It was the BEST Indian food I’ve had. After that we went to the Saints & Sinners bar, which is on the first floor of Base. There was a really good band playing…and good beer (Tui). I hit the sack around 10:00. I knew I wasn’t going to sleep well. I woke up at around 3AM and just couldn’t get back to sleep after that. I had to get up at 5:00 anyway to catch the shuttle to the train station.<br /><br />The TranzCoastal ride was stunning. By far this country is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. As soon as we were outside of Christchurch we were in the rolling green hills of the Canterbury Plains…lots of sheep (and tiny lambs!) and cattle….a few homes here and there, but other than that, it was remote. Then we entered a tunnel and on the other side the South Pacific was crashing to our right and the snow-capped mountains were to the left. We rode along the beach for about 2 hours. It was breathtaking. And to top it off, the sun was rising up and cast a pretty glow on everything. Around the Kaikoura area we saw the fur seal colonies basking on the rocks along the shore. There must have been hundreds of them! Some of you are going to kill me but I didn’t take photos… A) because I don’t like shooting photos through windows and B) I just didn’t want to take my eyes off the scenery! You all will just have to come experience this one for yourselves!<br /><br />So here I am in Blenheim….It’s cool to see all the vineyards. They look a bit barren with it being winter and all but interesting just the same. I’m not impressed with the actual downtown area of Blenheim. It’s kind of boxy and stripmall-ish…and not as I imagined it. So I may head up to Picton tomorrow. We’ll see….Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-74511838788358833122007-08-15T18:30:00.001-04:002007-08-15T18:34:52.175-04:00A walk to town and a road trip to Le Bons Bay...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW8BDIxx1MVeMWnRaV8NzOCaAs13QQea_TxJN-oneDHbDv9DNIWduzDb_nr7-UV2KR6-YymJbXWFjtsKq1BGNbxL3K0QBoKN4Of-45f6TEpdTf-Rx_OCDaNsuC6eISihb16pQ1X_LFa0/s1600-h/lebonsbay.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW8BDIxx1MVeMWnRaV8NzOCaAs13QQea_TxJN-oneDHbDv9DNIWduzDb_nr7-UV2KR6-YymJbXWFjtsKq1BGNbxL3K0QBoKN4Of-45f6TEpdTf-Rx_OCDaNsuC6eISihb16pQ1X_LFa0/s320/lebonsbay.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099058543033665874" /></a><br /><br />This past Sunday was another beautiful day and I was getting a serious case of Akaroa-fever. I had to get out of town. I decided to rent a car for the day to see some of the outlying areas around the Banks Peninsula. The car was outrageously priced but it was really the only place in town (that I was aware of) to get one. I set off around 10:30 and headed up to the summit road. This road runs along the top of the volcano ridge which is the highest point in the area. The views were stunning, and the road narrow and curvy. Once at the top, I started the descent down the other side to Le Bons Bay. I don’t think I needed to hit the gas for about 10-15 minutes. It was all brake. The landscape was so pretty. It starts as alpine/rocky/green fields at the top then changes to some forested areas and craggy rolling hills and pastures threaded with streams. It reminded me of Ireland but with tropical aspects.<br /><br />The bay itself was amazing. Surrounded by huge hills on either side, I’ve never seen a beach with such a diverse landscape. There were pine and deciduous trees, sand dunes, and rocky cliffs. There seemed to be a mix of white and black sand. I took lots of photos (check them out on my photo link). There were lots of neat shells. Does anyone know what type of shell I’m holding in this pic?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgge1IwbF-8a2V3_5kIqSaZH1JqzGmLWhwmO2-6-ZdEflDPOTi7aZE4oOAFFM3P59IngZ01DjA-fZGn-Ixwifqs-1QlURctSEwBiniRloZKkcdlMFwxWdyMIyAkuq62yyXSe9Svudj9SOo/s1600-h/shell.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgge1IwbF-8a2V3_5kIqSaZH1JqzGmLWhwmO2-6-ZdEflDPOTi7aZE4oOAFFM3P59IngZ01DjA-fZGn-Ixwifqs-1QlURctSEwBiniRloZKkcdlMFwxWdyMIyAkuq62yyXSe9Svudj9SOo/s320/shell.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099058714832357730" /></a><br /><br />There was still something living inside of it…otherwise, I would have kept it. :) I had the entire beach to myself except for a family that appeared a few minutes before I left.…it was nice but almost eerie. Especially for such a nice day.<br /><br />On the way back into town, I stopped at the French Farm Winery for lunch. It’s located on the opposite side of Akaroa Harbour. I tried a glass of their Pinot Noir and had pasta carbonara. I didn’t like the wine much, but the pasta was very good. I was tempted to get dessert…the Sticky Toffee Pudding caught my eye but I figured I’d save the $$$.<br /><br />Monday it was back to the cold weather. There was some sleet and rain throughout the day but it was productive…lots of cleaning.<br /><br />On a side note, I’d like to take a second to thank everyone who has sent me a care package! (Marm, Kayde, Grammy and ZC) You are all so thoughtful and I’ve enjoyed everything (especially those cookies Marm!) The latest package came from Zia Christa. She sent me a watercolor travel kit. I’ve started to use it, but I’m rusty with my painting techniques so it may be awhile before I come up with something respectable! She also sent me something to keep the spiders at bay…and as promised…<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEu5eQ9udNswkSX02cP5_b0PjG5M7FlFiLBy3fLBzhHSvwtVp-GEI51SCE3IOklNwDHrnBBMxnBU1IEnzaxGr730gf-kcQecaljg9BoP-zd457xr4oTvsJKanbeJDhTQZ9wAAx8jQuVkU/s1600-h/mosnet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEu5eQ9udNswkSX02cP5_b0PjG5M7FlFiLBy3fLBzhHSvwtVp-GEI51SCE3IOklNwDHrnBBMxnBU1IEnzaxGr730gf-kcQecaljg9BoP-zd457xr4oTvsJKanbeJDhTQZ9wAAx8jQuVkU/s320/mosnet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099058942465624434" /></a>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-79974035215359108712007-08-10T20:37:00.000-04:002007-08-10T20:55:17.796-04:00Wine anyone?The last few days here have been absolutely beautiful…sunny and warm. My walk into town yesterday didn’t have the usual brisk pace involved…the kind that implies “CAN’T WAIT TO READ EMAIL”. Instead, it was bucolic and leisurely, like a Sunday drive. The brook that runs down along the side of the road into town reminds me of the creek that Kayde and I used to hunt for salamanders in, except this one is dotted with cabbage trees. They say that normally it’s just a trickle, but with all the rain we’ve had, it’s been rushing. There was the scent of musty, wet leaves on the ground which brought me back to School Street on a chilly October morning...waiting for the bus...but the memory was laced with the smell of dryer vents from french-style homes and strange bushes with colorful flowers. I have a favorite house on my walk now…It’s a turn-of-the-century cottage with a white, chipped picket fence. It looks broken and worn, but it’s the unruly garden that expresses how much this house was once loved. There’s a giant vine with a gnarly base that grows up around the porch. It’s branches curl around every inch of the old wood. The overgrown lavender shrubs protrude through the fence leaving you perfumed as they brush your shoulders when walking by. I watched two boys ride by on one bike, still in their school uniforms…one sitting on the handle bars, his navy socks pulled up to his knees.<br /><br />It’s funny because even though I’m feeling settled, every morning I wake up and see the big wooden beams above me, instead of the plain white ceiling of my bedroom at home, and gratefully think. “Oh yeah, I’m here!” Familiarity is good…but change and the excitement of the unknown is what I love about travel.<br /><br />In two weeks, I’m taking the TranzScenic train up to Blenheim. I’m hoping the scenery is as grand as they describe it. I’ll be staying in Blenheim for two nights. For those that don’t know, Blenheim is 3 hours and 45 minutes north of Christchurch right on the east coast. It’s known for it’s winemaking and I’m hoping to sneak in a tour of the wineries. I'm taking requests if anyone wants a bottle! :)Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-36554228547991131342007-08-06T20:25:00.000-04:002007-08-10T21:07:29.790-04:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkMVkxEuSP35fzyhgk9SpHIzcsoBJ6pIku7CI_12PJ94L3aWssbqrxhLKD7a862KgBpL5PV7XAzGuBnlhSUo9IvZe99bZ_sznyDylOQbEn7KSiIQK672fKSCL0kuvudxFpbE8KYLWKU0/s1600-h/MtVernon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkMVkxEuSP35fzyhgk9SpHIzcsoBJ6pIku7CI_12PJ94L3aWssbqrxhLKD7a862KgBpL5PV7XAzGuBnlhSUo9IvZe99bZ_sznyDylOQbEn7KSiIQK672fKSCL0kuvudxFpbE8KYLWKU0/s320/MtVernon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095749962221832258" /></a><br /><br />Hey everyone....sorry for the long absense.... I've posted some new photos of Mt. Vernon Lodge. Click on the link to the right!<br />I haven't been much in the mood for writing lately. I think it's good to take a little break now and then and just sink into what your doing without analyzing and recording every minute.<br /><br />I’ve been settling into my new spot at Mt. Vernon. I’ve been doing lots of garden clean up lately so I’ve been enjoying that. Anything in the garden is fun for me. I’ve even learned how to ride the 4WD bike! I had Sunday off, so I spent the first part of the day in town. I decided to treat myself and had brunch at Ma Maison, a trendy restaurant here in town. I had eggs benedict with smoked salmon. It wasn’t priced too badly either. <br /><br />I have this afternoon off as well and am going to explore the local library.<br /><br />I've really enjoyed my time in Akaroa but I'm itching to move on. I feel like I've seen everything I want to see here. <br />More later.... :)Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-81998199373513575602007-07-30T00:07:00.000-04:002007-07-30T00:20:52.538-04:00New place...Hey everyone,<br /><br />As some of you know, I've moved to a different location in Akaroa. It's called the Mt. Vernon Lodge (www.mtvernon.co.nz)<br />It's a lovely place and the owners, Jeremy and Victoria are very friendly. They run a lodge and several cute cabins. They also have a conference center and host lots of corporate events. They have deer, 1 horse, geese, peacocks, chooks and a donkey. :) I plan on staying here for a month or two depending on how things go and then may head up to Nelson.<br /><br />I don't have internet or phone there so my only connection to the outside world is a 15 minute walk into town at a local cafe. I generally have afternoons off depending on the day, so will come down and post/email when I can, but I won't be on as much. I'm working on getting some postcards out (finally) so keep an eye out!<br /><br />Talk to you soon!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-49657989347074471042007-07-28T05:47:00.000-04:002007-07-28T06:01:54.451-04:00A walk to the Wilkes homestead...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HciUUnS8qPCVD2nif4s85xbmMRv3Nz9fAE4Pc5Fzrre3p0qR8E1ybkANhXTkKxtI0igfaNa745E2fEl1MDx_ei-zlWAXATeXO1H5mtf7LeIiI7zrKKy7nxYkN9AT9B5bw19kepSR7-I/s1600-h/feetakaroanz.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HciUUnS8qPCVD2nif4s85xbmMRv3Nz9fAE4Pc5Fzrre3p0qR8E1ybkANhXTkKxtI0igfaNa745E2fEl1MDx_ei-zlWAXATeXO1H5mtf7LeIiI7zrKKy7nxYkN9AT9B5bw19kepSR7-I/s320/feetakaroanz.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092185603222619394" /></a><br /><br />New pics posted in my Picasa album. Just click on the link in the sidebar to the right!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-58233527485306341552007-07-27T04:17:00.000-04:002007-07-27T05:09:27.559-04:00Dramamine is a girl's best friend...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaXM_o3CvRc-bzmQka4Xq8bd6lK_HqGgJPaBXp50iMNXKeheIg-dMp4bYYfOhpAcBgeMZ7SN_IkY4R0Jmi-I5L5vS50JEtI1V16qr7QY5mbLi-Dr3RBLP-0t_hX1XbLz_RJKoMBM3nj4/s1600-h/flag.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaXM_o3CvRc-bzmQka4Xq8bd6lK_HqGgJPaBXp50iMNXKeheIg-dMp4bYYfOhpAcBgeMZ7SN_IkY4R0Jmi-I5L5vS50JEtI1V16qr7QY5mbLi-Dr3RBLP-0t_hX1XbLz_RJKoMBM3nj4/s320/flag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091789143381459458" /></a><br /><br />Today we went on a 2-hour harbor cruise! Lots of gorgeous scenery, hector dolphins, fur seals and penguins! Below are some of the nicer shots. After, we ordered fish and chips (the best I've ever had. Sorry Sh!) and sat out by the harbor. It was a beautiful, sunny day.<br /><br />Oh, and to clarify, when I said “travel more” in my last post, I meant within New Zealand. I may even be in Akaroa for another month or so, but at a different place. I’ll keep you posted. Cheers!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqEOxWrRqGzqTdGUaxltGYYyVUJXdnsWsti6nW5j_rGthv7eMfe6kyDEQq7GKk8qG7AYWTqkz9VpdggwwpfpWYX7JFHx8v4BrcNRP39fqslFa1gV6WkqAzEfgk_nv-Wmh7z8FLrvsaEQ/s1600-h/farmfromtheharbor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqEOxWrRqGzqTdGUaxltGYYyVUJXdnsWsti6nW5j_rGthv7eMfe6kyDEQq7GKk8qG7AYWTqkz9VpdggwwpfpWYX7JFHx8v4BrcNRP39fqslFa1gV6WkqAzEfgk_nv-Wmh7z8FLrvsaEQ/s320/farmfromtheharbor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091789572878189074" /></a> Eckhard's farm and land from the harbor (see the red barn towards the middle?)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJu17Mule6sR1UFx4MatarNGY-IMjU0q-utjVHfWRa3nUz9T_Lz8v9emYGh8CW1i7ExU9kl1heHSuTW-jYc2aFKiPMgdyTs_bCPMTtCfHnZ1n4HJz6GF2vj19Klgg40khFlRrqBt-W5tk/s1600-h/danrogerscliff.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJu17Mule6sR1UFx4MatarNGY-IMjU0q-utjVHfWRa3nUz9T_Lz8v9emYGh8CW1i7ExU9kl1heHSuTW-jYc2aFKiPMgdyTs_bCPMTtCfHnZ1n4HJz6GF2vj19Klgg40khFlRrqBt-W5tk/s320/danrogerscliff.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091789817691324962" /></a> Dan Roger's Cliff<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurbNFWBQVAejlTkQUlw768oMiuWxlG1Y0Oczd23vXYpTTPL0R3l1zD5AaYFLx3VFRefn30H17N6f-VeQ9y37SYMuV0mgUgPjfn00oVkX78gUbxcMDVWkltBfbMURIEYAbxPKBmr8OAYw/s1600-h/caves.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurbNFWBQVAejlTkQUlw768oMiuWxlG1Y0Oczd23vXYpTTPL0R3l1zD5AaYFLx3VFRefn30H17N6f-VeQ9y37SYMuV0mgUgPjfn00oVkX78gUbxcMDVWkltBfbMURIEYAbxPKBmr8OAYw/s320/caves.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091790758289162802" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbxzfdg5qBqzfDHnIta7P0FtM9DUfPXXySuVXXgLLqYdmUP4096eQPQjrBnhohknGuF9rSMHR5WqAoywCFds9g-WgABvPE8_k9t61vvNtUb4bGORFKsVWAz8ccSRHON_GqCIHkSyJwsA/s1600-h/birds.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbxzfdg5qBqzfDHnIta7P0FtM9DUfPXXySuVXXgLLqYdmUP4096eQPQjrBnhohknGuF9rSMHR5WqAoywCFds9g-WgABvPE8_k9t61vvNtUb4bGORFKsVWAz8ccSRHON_GqCIHkSyJwsA/s320/birds.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091791106181513794" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi784wIEgWxSSQBHjomjCuJe1Z_Xuv9F99VqPTmJiE2N8jR1ZXjF3nE75O9TLqs60UJYGJ352DWKXetOJHTZ6uRidwMY6AnIHgRpShnFgZkMHv38lRBTd6bbba8wPHNe0pULup1LbjzVvo/s1600-h/looking+to+antarctica.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi784wIEgWxSSQBHjomjCuJe1Z_Xuv9F99VqPTmJiE2N8jR1ZXjF3nE75O9TLqs60UJYGJ352DWKXetOJHTZ6uRidwMY6AnIHgRpShnFgZkMHv38lRBTd6bbba8wPHNe0pULup1LbjzVvo/s320/looking+to+antarctica.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091792300182422098" /></a> Keep going straight here and you'll end up in the land of Shackleton!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqpeN0EihqsKiRCNOyR0gXIshzs1emijB1bsjbc07L_9GI4JwaGjcAkvMG7rSRYx75j_psL5PiVfawfU7iZJON4k5a2fky3vXCpSF8jrE08UKnOXR2cPJg-sAyO5pRwmyI9WN-Bbe_SA/s1600-h/volcaniclayers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqpeN0EihqsKiRCNOyR0gXIshzs1emijB1bsjbc07L_9GI4JwaGjcAkvMG7rSRYx75j_psL5PiVfawfU7iZJON4k5a2fky3vXCpSF8jrE08UKnOXR2cPJg-sAyO5pRwmyI9WN-Bbe_SA/s320/volcaniclayers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091797505682784866" /></a> Ancient volcanic layers<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yaZWgONs9MSr7-qNfpEAEz2f164-SLEkYj69xnLVy0wU8pUQ8DFj1QwvalENd8A60hPh6TnLDBKpexgimjQsTnuIJ6-eXu3PWEOLgykjkCZF7bOgdSLnU2rBWBU7R8iXT5a6X7hbWgg/s1600-h/sunreflection.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yaZWgONs9MSr7-qNfpEAEz2f164-SLEkYj69xnLVy0wU8pUQ8DFj1QwvalENd8A60hPh6TnLDBKpexgimjQsTnuIJ6-eXu3PWEOLgykjkCZF7bOgdSLnU2rBWBU7R8iXT5a6X7hbWgg/s320/sunreflection.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091797853575135858" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAMCrgCXT_q2akIwh0TlZFHngWJ80KxJjR9ERrQ59DUJcd7yW7IU_by_AOVCw3OsyPbmgatAffQKKQfWJmThRydYClPcV8Cx6ERQgLzkksOMTBUJbm7xjIFRQw2dVW0mV4tVkc0HCj4M/s1600-h/me.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAMCrgCXT_q2akIwh0TlZFHngWJ80KxJjR9ERrQ59DUJcd7yW7IU_by_AOVCw3OsyPbmgatAffQKKQfWJmThRydYClPcV8Cx6ERQgLzkksOMTBUJbm7xjIFRQw2dVW0mV4tVkc0HCj4M/s320/me.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091798214352388738" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToWNMxuGl0rTdN-Gq27nPdnvWv4U8sVFWuXFx2-5vOvDJI4JRyZp5-JDBGsPQhbifcfc0tWnrVSulPu_p0V1yQmFP6PjLh6F7WPXjNoK-1ZkuL-3y9AqLw99TGchXt32s8M6cko8DIvQ/s1600-h/moonoverakaroa.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToWNMxuGl0rTdN-Gq27nPdnvWv4U8sVFWuXFx2-5vOvDJI4JRyZp5-JDBGsPQhbifcfc0tWnrVSulPu_p0V1yQmFP6PjLh6F7WPXjNoK-1ZkuL-3y9AqLw99TGchXt32s8M6cko8DIvQ/s320/moonoverakaroa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091799262324408978" /></a> Moon over AkaroaKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-40973659503804648962007-07-26T07:09:00.000-04:002007-07-26T09:06:32.986-04:00New pastures...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZlBf55TO6kY2C0cOcCYHsrFENevbMV6k-0wNP3nyy5Z_CNu11jhxfVrPWV2IzQ2QDi2qcJ7j-IMlMEBM68tlSugrI0h6-anUdLu_LMAbc94lUH8QdTYP6gWlk2Am_634vQ_MiyGFEcs/s1600-h/lonesheep.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZlBf55TO6kY2C0cOcCYHsrFENevbMV6k-0wNP3nyy5Z_CNu11jhxfVrPWV2IzQ2QDi2qcJ7j-IMlMEBM68tlSugrI0h6-anUdLu_LMAbc94lUH8QdTYP6gWlk2Am_634vQ_MiyGFEcs/s320/lonesheep.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091461411606970834" /></a><br /><br />Hey everyone- I have been quiet lately! I’ve been contemplating my next steps and have decided that I want to do more traveling than originally planned, so I’m moving on. One of the beauties of traveling is that nothing is carved in stone (and as a wise man once wrote-"No yesterdays on the road"). I love the way things unfold mysteriously.<br /><br />This is truly a beautiful farm and I’ve been lucky to get a glimpse of life here. Sunday is my last day (at the farm itself), but I’ll be spending a few days in town. A big thanks to Eckhard, his hospitality, and patience in showing me all the details of the farm. <br /><br />I have some plans in the works and will write again once I have them ironed out!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwK8q6f8AUHbM1rgRN48Xdfyx9tZV1ybipYD8hvsDoPcIR2X-WAbrwumgnT9FtJ6yy_TtZP2sx8SJPDhfc7WM931_uTN_knu3rVT5FqHpOAKxmXl43ZcnyzNk2mq1PyIrPf3ezwHyOuzw/s1600-h/frontyard.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwK8q6f8AUHbM1rgRN48Xdfyx9tZV1ybipYD8hvsDoPcIR2X-WAbrwumgnT9FtJ6yy_TtZP2sx8SJPDhfc7WM931_uTN_knu3rVT5FqHpOAKxmXl43ZcnyzNk2mq1PyIrPf3ezwHyOuzw/s320/frontyard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091461600585531874" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHZQJwhRNc6nVKgpQ_ACKeN3hm1VlE1Pp_ok66F-LYnQXfCeM29jIarCmOhA36H1dyhaDCfll-3fa1ZnfwpsyQFVMXo0ev0j4XSry-LWBQqqzqvD3HhwjyYTqzg_vPXQGWZz-b2VIdBg/s1600-h/applehut.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHZQJwhRNc6nVKgpQ_ACKeN3hm1VlE1Pp_ok66F-LYnQXfCeM29jIarCmOhA36H1dyhaDCfll-3fa1ZnfwpsyQFVMXo0ev0j4XSry-LWBQqqzqvD3HhwjyYTqzg_vPXQGWZz-b2VIdBg/s320/applehut.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091464005767217650" /></a> The old apple hut (a very cozy bedroom)!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-75838263709412205132007-07-20T03:25:00.001-04:002007-07-20T04:47:14.316-04:00A day on the town…When I first arrived in New Zealand, I flew into Christchurch. It was a Sunday afternoon, and it was dull and rainy. As enthusiastic as I was about being here, the city didn’t seem to reciprocate. The streets were empty and most shops were closed. I decided not to waste much energy walking around when nothing was open so I went back to the hostel. I realize that it’s the off season but I didn’t expect a ghost town. So my initial impression was that it wasn’t so great. <br /><br />My opinion of Christchurch did a 360 degree turn today. Eckhard had some business in Christchurch (which is an hour and a half drive from Akaroa) so he dropped me off and I had the day to explore. Such a difference from that Sunday on which I arrived. The city was bustling, everything was open. It was still rainy outside but it didn’t take away from the fun of seeing the sights. I grabbed a coffee and started walking. My first stop was the Arts Centre. Check it out:<a href="http://www.artscentre.org.nz">www.artscentre.org.nz</a> The buildings which make up the centre were originally Canterbury College, built in 1877. Lots of beautiful architecture. It’s now home to craft shops and artists studios. The studios are an artists dream. Lots of light filled individual rooms where jewelers, potters, painters and weavers do their thing. Lots to see and do there and I will definitely be back. There is a place called the Fudge Cottage. They practically force feed several different types of homemade fudge to you as you walk in. ☺ I didn’t leave empty handed.<br /><br />Next, I walked down the street to the Botanical Gardens and Canterbury Museum. The museum was ok. Lots of neat history and exhibits. Perhaps I just wasn’t in much of a museum mood today. I breezed through. I proceeded outside to the Botanical Gardens. It is winter and it was raining, so obviously it wasn’t ideal, but it was easy to see that this place is gorgeous spring-fall. There were all kinds of amazing trees and plants…fountains and a conservatory. I can’t wait to go back in summer. They have a thing called punting on the Avon. The Avon is a small creek/river that snakes through Christchurch. Punting is similar to something you’d see in Venice, with long boats and the driver stands while pushing the boat with a long pole. <br /><br />I made my way over to High Street because I heard that there were a couple of good book stores. I’m always on the lookout for antique books. I found a place called Smith’s Bookshop. Check it out:<a href="http://www.smiths.bookshop.co.nz"> www.smiths.bookshop.co.nz</a> I was in antique book heaven. Since I have limited space in my bag (and a limited budget) I forced myself to a maximum of two books. I bought an 1874 illustrated edition of Edgar Allan Poe’s Poetical Works and a 1903 edition of Underneath the Bough, a sweet collection of verses. Both have their unique marks of being from New Zealand (handwritten notes on the inside and what towns the owners were from).<br /><br />I was famished after all the book browsing so I decided to search for a good place for lunch. After much circling, I decided on a spot called Sticky Hands. It was a bit pricey for me but the food was outstanding. I had mushroom ravioli in a sweet onion cream sauce with bacon and chicken, along with a locally brewed beer called Monteith’s. Yum.<br /><br />After that, I needed to kill an hour before I was to meet up with Eckhard. I decided to browse the big department store which is called Ballantynes. The usual stuff there…. But by then I was tired of walking and ready for the ride home.<br /><br />I’m happy that my impression of Christchurch has changed. There are a few things left I want to see such as the Art Museum.<br /><br />BTW, I’ve posted some photos but not all. My connection is a tiny bit slow and sometimes quits on me so I will continue to post pics piecemeal. Say that three times fast. ☺Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-13945332072998618462007-07-16T05:03:00.000-04:002007-07-16T06:02:08.447-04:00Crying over spilt lambs and the case of the stuck camper van…Sorry for my weeklong absence…I was without internet…but boy do I have stories!<br /><br />Nothing went as planned Thursday morning. The lamb buyer called Wednesday afternoon to confirm that the trucker would arrive at 7AM. I told him no problem, I’ll be ready. Then he called again that night to say it would be 9AM, not 7AM as planned, which was fine. I had them all ready to go.<br /><br />I got up at 6AM Thursday morning, had breakfast, got dressed and walked up to the pens at 8:15 just to be sure all was good to go. As I walked up I saw the trucker pushing the last group of lambs into the truck! He had arrived early and started without me! I went to him and said “Hello….I thought you guys were going to arrive at 9:00?” No response…he looked at me but ignored me. He closed up the truck and I handed him the appropriate paperwork. He said, “He is short by two. They jumped out and ran off.” <br /><br />And that was it. He took the paperwork and drove off. My stomach started to knot up and a feeling of dread filled me. Was Eckhard going to tar and feather me? All I wanted was to get this task right and somehow a mistake happened. Ugh. Then the tears started…I think I hit a wall. A meltdown had to happen at some point. ☺ On top of this, I needed to walk into town (1 hour) in the freezing rain to pick up the truck and go grocery shopping. All I wanted was to crawl under a rock. (A heated one with a Jacuzzi tub, a six-pack of Newcastle, and a full plate of double chocolate brownies, right out of the oven.) hahaha ☺ But the walk into town invigorated me and broke through my mood. The rain even let up for a large portion of it. <br /><br />Friday morning (the 13th) I was up on one of the paddocks behind the house clearing gorse. The rain finally let up and the sun had started to burn through the clouds. There is only one road up to the house so I was puzzled when the dogs started barking and I heard an engine gunning up the drive. From the hilltop, I watched as a white camper van appeared and snaked along the narrow road. Eckhard hadn’t mentioned that anyone was coming….at that point the camper van hit a steep incline and skidded slightly. I could tell that this scared the occupants because shortly after, the van stopped and two people hopped out. I was shocked when the van then attempted to turn around by backing into a hillside (this is a one car road along a cliff). For a moment I thought they were going to plunge forward into the ravine, but instead they managed to spin the back end into a mud pit on the hill and got stuck. No car would have been able to pass because the camper was stuck diagonally across the road.<br /><br />Initially this made me nervous. I was up here all alone and for all I knew, this was some ploy to lure me down there, where they would tie me up and throw me into the back of the camper. But concern overcame my paranoia and I walked down there with my walking stick and Watch. Upon arriving at the scene, instead of the hairy, burly, escape convicts I was imagining, I found a family of three. A Japanese man, an aussie or kiwi(?) woman who was clearly flustered, and their quiet son. They were happy to see me and explained that they were just driving up for the scenery and the wife began to have a panic attack because of the decreasing size and grade of the road. I told them I’d do my best to help push them out…otherwise we’d need more people. The wife, son and I were behind pushing with everything we had, while the husband was behind the wheel. We attempted several times, and came close, but it wasn’t enough. We needed one more person. I decided to call Eckhard’s neighbor. I called the number (using the cell Eckhard let me borrow) but the number I had was incorrect. That meant I had to walk down to his house. I told the family I could get help but it would be 20 minutes or so for me to walk down there.<br /><br />Once there (legs aching, huffing, puffing and sweaty from running downhill), I yelled down to Chris, who was outside chopping wood. He was kind enough to drive back up with Watch and I. With one more person we were able to successfully push the camper out of the mud. The wife refused to get back in. She said she’d wait for him to turn around at the house and come back down. Chris and I followed him up, where he had plenty of room to turn around. I hopped out of Chris’ car, thanking him for his help. The husband stopped before going down the driveway and said “You have no idea how thankful I am for your help. Thank you so much.” I told him it was really no problem. I was just happy to see them wind their way back down safely. By then, it was already 3:00 and the days plans were jumbled….but the sun was out and it recharged me.<br /><br />This comes at a funny time…I just finished reading a book called The Kindness of Strangers (Edited by Don George). It’s a collection of travel stories by people who were in need of some sort of help while traveling, and the kindness of complete strangers who assisted them, some who didn’t even speak the same language. I recommend it… I just finished reading Cloud Farm by Jane Chetwynd. It’s about a woman from Christchurch who decides to quit her job and buy an old farm in Akaroa. It’s a simple book but really cute. Now I’ve started In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin.<br /><br />I’ve been alone for four days now and it’s strange what happens to you, and what it makes you think about. Back in New Hampshire, there would be days where I’d dream of times like this…being away from everyone, the stress of work etc… but I’ve found that it’s the extremes that are difficult. It’s lonely up here. After chores and meals, I do some reading but I’m finding that I miss people. I’m really looking forward to Eckhard coming home. I’ve found myself talking to the animals more than usual. :) The internet has been down since the day he left so it’s even more isolating…but maybe it’s good to have a computer “cleansing” every once in a while. I’ve also realized something about TV. As interesting as I find it to watch foreign television (accents, different products, advertising, local news…) it’s all the same when you come down to it, and it makes me feel like I’m home… I’m going to try to avoid it from now on. Eckhard did get me hooked on a cooking show. Rick Stein? :) It’s really funny because he tends to go to extremes with things…he will travel somewhere and point out the interesting food in that area and then make something himself.<br /><br />Anyway, back to work. Fingers crossed that the sun makes another appearance soon.. OH...I have some pics and will try to post them tomorrow ,more to come:Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-23380300439094146542007-07-10T16:30:00.000-04:002007-07-10T17:12:53.572-04:00Good food and peeps...It's raining and cold AGAIN. Ugh. I think there is sun in the forecast for the end of the week so there is hope! If it is sunny, I'm planning on taking a walk to snap some photos.<br /><br />The day before yesterday, the lamb buyer came out (oops, I forgot his name). A very jolly kiwi. He asked if I had celebrated the 4th of July here. :) He told me that his sister and her husband were currently in the states on holiday. At the moment in Nantucket! Ahhh, what I would give for a warm beach right now. Anyway, he invited me to go out with him from farm to farm, to see what he does as a lamb buyer! It would be interesting to see things from that side.<br /><br />Yesterday was shearing day. Henry, a local Maori fellow, came up (I believe he is a neighbor to Eckhard). He sheared around 400 in about 5 hours. They weren't completely shorn, just around the hind end to clean them up. Boy.... I think it was Jim that said it..."Why do you want to be around sheep? They are filthy animals!" I laughed, but I realize now what he meant. It's easy, if you've never been around them, to imagine little fluffy, cute cottonballs, but they are quite dirty/muddy! My job was to sweep away the shorn wool/dirt/crap as Henry worked, and to make sure that they didn't try to escape as he brought each one out. Another great learning experience.<br /><br />Tonight I have to do some lamb shifting in preparation for the trucker tomorrow. Did I mention that Eckhard has highland cattle too? They are very cute....from the other side of the fence. The cows aren't too intimadating but there is a bull named Bully who is a little rambunctious and has some serious looking horns. Happily, I can feed them their dinner over the fence. The first time we went into their pen, I was holding a bale of hay, but frozen in place by the gate, ready to bolt at the slightest little charge. Eckhard called me over closer to the herd. He could clearly see the terror in my face. He said the trick is to show domination and to never take your sight off them. Honestly, they are very pretty. This is what they look like:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH03f_Nh_UtxZPQifz_iFfuL3WYZlyrRGg7lHYmLuRQwVfRwbWDVpPpGRpAQgkBueGL8M8dxUuQwMK_lSSpjqMPBF7DLSiL59nnwlqNM9fqlwhVZiCvHIMSLi1Zi8mF5CsU_jC-Mnpv0E/s1600-h/highland_cows_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH03f_Nh_UtxZPQifz_iFfuL3WYZlyrRGg7lHYmLuRQwVfRwbWDVpPpGRpAQgkBueGL8M8dxUuQwMK_lSSpjqMPBF7DLSiL59nnwlqNM9fqlwhVZiCvHIMSLi1Zi8mF5CsU_jC-Mnpv0E/s320/highland_cows_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085679138173125298" /></a><br /><br /><br />Zia Christa asked about the food here...I must say that I've been eating very well. Eckhard is a great cook and I will definitely learn a thing or two. He made a great birthday lunch for me! I haven't tried anything unusual or new, but I've been eating very healthy. I take that back....I did try squid the night of my birthday. Ick..... :) But thanks Eckhard!<br /><br />Ok, back to work! More later....Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121385949352912314.post-86162231926914816612007-07-08T14:16:00.000-04:002007-07-08T14:43:02.908-04:00Gorse, sorting, and the coldWhew... it's been a busy couple of days. <br /><br />For those of you who think you have a weed problem in your garden, listen up :) Gorse is a plant originally from Scotland and was introduced into New Zealand. It's very spiny and has pretty yellow flowers (think thistle on steriods!) I read that in it's native Scotland, it blooms once, therefore only having one set of seeds. Because of the conditions here, it blooms multiple times, meaning more seeds...seeds that can stay in the ground for up to 40 years and germinate at any time. Gorse is good for regenerating native bush plants because they grow to a certain height, creating a canopy for young seedlings and plants. Then the native plants grow up and over the gorse and smother them out. Good in some cases, but not if you have grazing stock. So our job is to go out in the field and clip small gorse at the base and apply a weed killer. It's a long process, but quite important.<br /><br />Yesterday we gathered the sheep (lots of walking) and sorted the lambs from the ewes. This isn't quite as easy as it sounds. It's a little hard to explain....basically the sheep are kept in several different, connecting pens, with the center pen leading to a run. The run allows the farmer to let the sheep through, one at a time, and sort them out. I was knee deep in sheep and did lots of shouting and pushing, while Eckhard did the sorting. After that we had to bring the ewes back out to pasture. The sun was setting quickly so we had to move fast. I did a quick hike up to open some gates while Eckhard mustered them up from behind.<br /><br />It's been very cold here. Yesterday, there was frost on the ground and the water in the horses pen was frozen over. I think this is unusual for this area. It makes me feel like I'm in Vermont!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17127360551491505128noreply@blogger.com5