Sunday 4 March 2012

Snow in the mountains!


Snow!
So I've been here in Queenstown just over a month now and as usual its gone so quick! I've now started my second job since being here at the video shop – sort of the equivalent to Blockbuster back home. Just part time at the minute but at least it pays for my rent and my food each week! Things in the house have changed quite a bit since I moved in too … 5 of the people I was living with when I first arrived have left and been replaced currently making it 8 girls and 2 guys sharing one bathroom and kitchen; its starting to feel more and more like a hostel but never mind, I'm not in the position money wise to move!

Still hoping to get another job so that I can start saving up some money again, especially for the winter! I woke up the other morning to find there was snow on the tops of some of the mountains and started to get a little excited! The early bird lift passes have been released but the news that there is no longer a season transport pass has made this season look to cost a hell of a lot of money. Some serious thinking needs to be done before I decide on what pass to get I reckon.

A couple of weekends ago the Red Bull Roast It BMX competition was held in Queenstown. It was unreal! I've never seen anything like it, 5 hours of pretty solid riding it was amazing. It was a completely free event with riders from all over competing and it was all judged by the riders themselves. I was totally memorised watching them pull out trick after trick – serious respect for BMXers after that!

 When Alec, Steve & Andy came to town
I seem to constantly be meeting people who I've met on my travels. After the guys left I met up with Stacey for a little bit. Then Steve and Dresser came back to QT for a week to chill out and sell their car. It was pretty weird saying but to Steve again, knowing this time was it! Tringham has arrived here now and we caught up briefly over a drink; Vanessa who I met in Oz gets here around about now too. My days at the minute just seem to consist of catching up with various people. The weather hasn't been too great recently; well it varies considerably. The weekend and beginning of the week was amazing and I went in the lake for the first time – f**king freezing I can tell you! But last week and the last few days it has rained a hell of a lot making climbing not possible which kinda sucks. Need to get my hands on a bike just to get out and about and improve my fitness which is pretty bad at the minute. I've been for several walks; to Frankton, up Queenstown hill and the Gondola track but its just not the same!

After the 5 months of on the go travelling it feels good to be settled in a place for a while, but living and working in a country is a completely different ball game to backpacking and being on the move the whole time. A new challenge!