Embracing the Sandfly...
Is not quite as easy as I thought it would be. After reading Marlow Morgan's book Mutant Message Down Under this summer, learning about the aboriginal practice of tolerance, acceptance and even gratefulness for all creatures beautiful and obnoxious, I had set upon this journey with a goal of the same. As an earth loving vegetarian I began my stay here with the practice of live and let live. With more vitamin B in my body than the normal carnivore, sandflies did not seem to stick to me like others. I didn't swat them, and so believed that they, in turn, would recognize my love for them and their recent ancestors, and thus spare me from their irritating poison. After over a month here, and covered in the scabs of a ten year old in summer, I have lost most of my desire to spare the little devils.
Anyway, hello! It has been a busy week, so sorry for the time between posting. I finished my days off last week with a quick trip to Dunedin, basically directly opposite of Milford on the east coast. After a sleepy 5.5 hour drive (beautiful sunset, lots of sheep) we arrived at On Top Backpackers (really swanky and nice) again staying for free. (yay!) Tara and Rich unfortunately were in the city on business, taking a responsible selling of alcohol course required in NZ. I on the other hand had a full 12 hours to explore this quaint college town. Lovely city, filled with clean streets, beautiful young people, cafes, art galleries and second hand stores. (Op Shops). I finished my book drinking latte's in the sunshine. I enjoyed my first bagel since being in NZ, chatted amicably with store owners and basically had a relaxing sunny day.
Work is picking up here. There are more and more busses every day, and more and more slightly frazzled, slightly perplexed tourists often sea sick and hungry, but mostly nice unless they have run out of petrol. Milford had two gas pumps. Only the Diesel works.
We had a lovely staff party on Sunday night, enjoying a sunset cruise into the Tasman, hoping to spot the humpback mom and baby found earlier in the day. No such luck, but witnessed an incredible sunset, this time illuminating a dense cloud cover to create magenta and gold streaks accross the sky. The party continued in the pub and ended with a fall into a great muddy hole in the attempt to get a better look at the glowworms on the embankment. Ha.
I am heading back to Queenstown to celebrate lovely Becca's 24th birthday on Friday! Looking forward to another quick bite of civilization and the opportunity to spend my hard earned money. In other news, I was promoted to the senior cafe position and so have the chance to get my hands a bit dirtier in the running of the operation. Good experience for me, I think, as my ultimate "some day" plan to own my own cafe slowly comes into focus.
Estoy aprendando espagnol. (I think that means "I am learning Spanish") And have sort of committed to an every other day study plan. I will be fluent in 2.5 months, according to my "learn Spanish in three months" book.
That is all for now. Stay in touch. Send me home addresses because I have loads of postcards but no addresses to send them to.
Cheers!
Is not quite as easy as I thought it would be. After reading Marlow Morgan's book Mutant Message Down Under this summer, learning about the aboriginal practice of tolerance, acceptance and even gratefulness for all creatures beautiful and obnoxious, I had set upon this journey with a goal of the same. As an earth loving vegetarian I began my stay here with the practice of live and let live. With more vitamin B in my body than the normal carnivore, sandflies did not seem to stick to me like others. I didn't swat them, and so believed that they, in turn, would recognize my love for them and their recent ancestors, and thus spare me from their irritating poison. After over a month here, and covered in the scabs of a ten year old in summer, I have lost most of my desire to spare the little devils.
Anyway, hello! It has been a busy week, so sorry for the time between posting. I finished my days off last week with a quick trip to Dunedin, basically directly opposite of Milford on the east coast. After a sleepy 5.5 hour drive (beautiful sunset, lots of sheep) we arrived at On Top Backpackers (really swanky and nice) again staying for free. (yay!) Tara and Rich unfortunately were in the city on business, taking a responsible selling of alcohol course required in NZ. I on the other hand had a full 12 hours to explore this quaint college town. Lovely city, filled with clean streets, beautiful young people, cafes, art galleries and second hand stores. (Op Shops). I finished my book drinking latte's in the sunshine. I enjoyed my first bagel since being in NZ, chatted amicably with store owners and basically had a relaxing sunny day.
Work is picking up here. There are more and more busses every day, and more and more slightly frazzled, slightly perplexed tourists often sea sick and hungry, but mostly nice unless they have run out of petrol. Milford had two gas pumps. Only the Diesel works.
We had a lovely staff party on Sunday night, enjoying a sunset cruise into the Tasman, hoping to spot the humpback mom and baby found earlier in the day. No such luck, but witnessed an incredible sunset, this time illuminating a dense cloud cover to create magenta and gold streaks accross the sky. The party continued in the pub and ended with a fall into a great muddy hole in the attempt to get a better look at the glowworms on the embankment. Ha.
I am heading back to Queenstown to celebrate lovely Becca's 24th birthday on Friday! Looking forward to another quick bite of civilization and the opportunity to spend my hard earned money. In other news, I was promoted to the senior cafe position and so have the chance to get my hands a bit dirtier in the running of the operation. Good experience for me, I think, as my ultimate "some day" plan to own my own cafe slowly comes into focus.
Estoy aprendando espagnol. (I think that means "I am learning Spanish") And have sort of committed to an every other day study plan. I will be fluent in 2.5 months, according to my "learn Spanish in three months" book.
That is all for now. Stay in touch. Send me home addresses because I have loads of postcards but no addresses to send them to.
Cheers!
posted by Karen at 2:04 PM
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