Woofing Diaries~ Part II: 15-260810

-Finally, my woofing has came to an end.

-Within the period, I became a~ housekeeper+chef+gardener+wood chopper+barber+pruner+ mechanic+massage therapist+singer+SKIER!!! Wow!

-I worked hardly, learned hardly, played hardly and enjoyed thoroughly throughout the 2 weeks of multitask and eventful woofing life!

*Working on something that I have never done before has expanded my ability to an enormous extent.

*Reading novel at the lakeside during free time has enriched my mind and soul.

*Wandering around to spot some filming locations of The Lord Of The Ring has granted my salutation to Tolkien and Peter Jackson.

*Liveband and dancing party in Glenorchy Hotel has turned last Saturday nite to be a wonderful night.

*Practising skiing in The Remarkable for another 3 times has improved my skiing skill and made me addicted to this super-fun snow sport.

*Tramping at the Routeburn Track and Glacier Burn Track has brought me closer to the beauty of nature especially the fernleaf and snow-capped mountain.

-I truly treasure every single moment throughout the entire woofing life. Special thanks to my host. (Lucky me, and lucky you, too. :p)

-Great and memorable woofing experience well embeded in each corner along the picturesque Kinloch~Glenorchy~Queenstown.

Woofing diaries ~Part I: 9-140810

-A raining Monday, a long-hour driving day to get to the woofing place.

-From Christchurch, passed by Geraldine, headed towards Lake Tekapo (it was snowing last night!), the road turned icy but the glowing snow covering the ground, houses and trees has added value to the spectacular view along the way.

-Stopped by Lake Tekapo for picnic lunch, playing on the snow-covered ground and took some rest, continued the journey towards Cromwell and then reached Queenstown before dark. The total journey of 600km took around 8 hours driving time.

-The woofing place is actually in Kinloch, another 20min drive from Glenorchy which is situated 68km away from Queenstown.

-Yes, the area is quite remote but the scenery view along the way is undeniable BREATHTAKING.

-Finally arrived safely in Kinloch together with the dawn. Had a yummy venison dinner with the host, a funny kiwi old man and his neighbour, a nice German chef.

-Here it starts my woofing life.

-No phone-line coverage, no internet access, no electricity (solar energy at daytime and generator at night time), burning firewood to keep the room warm, igniting fire to take shower, to light up oven and stove for cooking, collecting water-cress from the riverside and self-planted carrots, hunted animals for preparing meal.....What an earthy but extraordinary countryside life huuh???!!! :p

-There are various duties to be carried out from time to time (working hour in total around 4 hours a day). Housekeeping, pruning for willow trees, planting, helper for repairing vehicles (the Kiwi host is a mechanic), cooking etc.

-The most exciting 'duty' is to accompany the host, a SKII LOVER + EXPERT for skiing!! Haha!! Provided with full set of skiing equipment, personal training session, free ride to the ski field, this special woofing experience is indeed ENJOYALE, FUN and EXCITING!!!

-Sometime, would be helping out in the neighbour's house. Feeding hens and rooster, looking after sheep, cleaning garage to build greenhouse, playing with the dogs, and in return treated with super delicious meal prepared by the German chef, served together with the famous red wine, Pinot Noir. Haha...great isn't it?

-During free time, might go for groceries shopping in Queenstown, might be learning guitar from the host and singing beside the fire, might grab a book and spend an evening beside the river, might go for some trekking around the mountains and valley, might go for hunting with the host, and most probably, few more session of SKIING!

-These are the colours of my woofing life so far. Looking forward for more in coming weeks. Stay tuned :-D

written on 140810

in Patagonia Chocolates Shop, QUeenstown

~Station Stop & Reunion in Christchurch-转站+重聚~

Christchurch has always been the station stop for my runaway journey in NZ. This is the 4th time I come here.
-Upon arrival in South Island, this second largest city in the country welcomed me with her chilling weather and Autumn’s colour. We got car, got job, then left here.
-After bid farewell to millions of kiwi fruits and big gang of great friends in Motueka,travelled along WestCoast and came back here to welcome cold winter. We made up our plan to travel around South Island, then we left here.
-After visited almost three quarter of South Island, came back here again to plan for next move. It’s time to top-up travel fund, vineyard in Blenheim was our only choice so we left here.
-Enough of trimming and wrapping, I came back here again, seeking for another way of life. This time, I walk slowly, I free up my mind, I write diaries, I listen to songs, I live a simple life. No rush, no hassle, no adrenaline-pumping, no spice, but an ordinary taste of life. Winter still, cold still, but my heart is so warm especially when meeting up with those friends whom I treasure a lot. Yes, I am happy to come back here and to REUNION with the great friends I met in Motueka.
-Soon, I will be leaving here, again, as I found another new field to pursue on. Woofing? Working in farm with the cows, sheep, horses? Well, let’s see how it goes.
It’s time to bid farewell again, my friends. Take good care and I’m gonna miss you again.
Goodbye Chirstchurch.
I will be back, again, some other time in near future.

基督城,
总是我在结束一个体验后再投入下一个驿站之前的
一个转站.
回归原点, 沉淀思绪, 策划下一步.
第四次回来了,每次都给我些许不同的感觉和味道.
这一次, 很原味.
很久没有把生活脚步放得这么慢了.
最让人开心的是, 这一趟回来, 和很多之前在包装厂相识相惜的朋友重逢了.
相聚,总是愉快的,温暖的. 虽然,天气还是很冷啦! 呵.
每一次相聚,总免不了要面对再一次的离别.
又有新的体验等着我去驰骋啦!
再一次的珍重再见,我的朋友.
再一次的离开, 我的转站.

~Centre of: Adrenaline-Booster + $$$- Burning + Breathtaking Scenery (Arrowtown-Queenstown-Wanaka 1-4 July 2010)

刚分享了两个目前我在NZ玩过最刺激也最烧钱的活动(skydiving & skiing)，现在来介绍一下这一片最烧钱的玩乐天堂咯！
Highlights:
~Arrowtown is such a beautiful and cosy town. I missed the Autumn here but I was still stunned by her ordinary beauty during winter.I <3 <3 <3 this town so so much!!!
~Queenstown is famous of those adventurous activities such as skydiving, bungee jump, paragliding, jetboat, skiing etc. To inject a booster of adrenaline? Make sure you bring enough $$$ to pay the bill!
~Lake Wanaka has some unique attraction including the nice lake view surrounded by snow mountain during winter, the Puzzling World and also another good place for skydiving, skiing, trekking and hiking etc.

~Flying~翱翔~

~Skydiving, one of my mission over here has been accomplished on 3rd July 2010 in Queenstown.
Jumping out from the plane at the height of 15,000 feet, experiencing free fall for 60 seconds at the speed of 200km/h, the feeling was superb!
No fear, no pain, there is only excitement made up every single piece of my sense.
After a minute of free fall followed by parachuting, looking down and enjoying the breathtaking view bottom there while the whole body was hanging up high on the sky, what an AWESOME way to see this beautiful big big world!!!
Beautiful world, beautiful mother earth, and life is just BEAUTIFUL!!!

~啊！世界是那么地大，人是那么地渺小！
可，在高空展翅飞翔的刹那，感觉上，大地就在我脚下呀！
距离地面一万五千尺， 近一分钟的自由坠落...
强风打在身上，衣衫被吹得涨鼓鼓的，整个脸颊嘴角上扬，耳边呼呼作响，手脚左右上下狂挥，整个情绪都被亢奋塞得满满的！
也少不了惊叹哗然震撼激动， 非一般的深刻体验！

而后，随着打开的降落伞乘着风以高速升空，飘扬于云朵里，俯瞰身下的壮丽山河，
那被白雪覆盖的重重山峦，那呈蓝绿色的湖水溪流，那葱翠浓密的大片丛林，一切一切。。。
美得那么那么地眩目！美得让人几乎摒住了呼吸！
地球是那么那么地漂亮，生命是那么那么地美好！

我审视，我聆听，我体会，
生活里的每一个体验；
我反思，我感恩，我珍惜，
生命里的每一个瞬间。

后记：跳跃于1万5千尺的上空后，那兴奋和激动久久浇不熄。。。
我会继续，朝着其它梦想跳跃和飞翔。

p/s:
-Skydiving in Queenstown is costly
-$399 for 15,000 feet, + ￥219 (DVD & photo) = $618 NZD
-however the scenery view is superb and AWESOME!
-the only thing not so satisfied is that the video is too commercialized, not customized enough if compared with those in Lake Wanaka.
-make sure u skydive on good weather then it will be extremely beautiful!!

~Blenheim in Memory~

Finally, I have decided to end the working in vineyard and moving to another place, seeking for another way of life.
It has been an unforgottable experience to work and live in Blenheim for the past 3 weeks.
As said, working in vineyard during winter is one of the toughest job.
I think the job itself is actually not that tough, just sometime the cold weather is unbearable!
It requires some skill and adaptation in order to act fast and then make money. At the same time, we should also be responsible to try our best to make sure the plants are taken good care of (canes selection, ways of wrapping, buds cutting etc) in order to produce good grapes and hence good wine later on. There are so many things to learn!
Hard-earned money though, as I just couldn't act anymore faster! Haha!!
Therefore, I didn't make much money from this but in return I have gained some other things which are much more precious and valuable
-brand new life experience, tougher Hui Ming, and more importantly, great new friends!!!

I am thankful for all these and each of it will be well kept in my memory.
See you Blenheim, goodbye vineyard, take care my friends!!!

总结，在葡萄园工作，真的包含了有很多学问在里头。
除了讲求技巧和速度以达到理想收入，也不得轻易忽略果树的照顾。
选的枝，剪的长度，绑法，方向，都要顾虑会否影响果实的收成。
这是一份磨练耐心训练速度培养爱心的工作。也，牵涉一些人生哲学哦！

体验够了，离开之际，也衍生了一些不舍。
学习到感悟到的种种，丰富了我的思想和人生。
结识到的不同年龄不同国籍的新朋友，更是让我在Blenheim这一片土地上三个星期来的耕耘得到丰收。

工头Rhonda，thanks for the job and guidance. Sorry for leaving earlier, 没想到跟你请辞还会遭到挽留，感觉有点搞笑也有点不好意思！
大马传奇人物史蒂芬大叔, 谢谢你的教诲提点和那么丰盛的料理。
当地多才帅气的Wayne, grateful for the sharing and thanks for the drink.
香港两个可怜又可爱的Perry & King, 谢谢惨痛经历的分享和那有点别扭的‘尊师重道’，那别致的气球花，我会收到它泄气为止的！记住啦，考验也是一种收获，这个世界就是因为有苦有乐才会精彩呀！
柔佛两个搞笑善良的Jason & David, 谢谢那Caving一日游的陪伴，祝接下来的旅途愉快哦！
日本开朗少女Seiko，arigato for the friendship and sharing. Doozo yoroshiku!
留下来继续战斗的德和玲，加油啦！没有我在身边照顾的日子，要好好保重哦！
陪伴我走接下来的旅程的娴，走，我们一起领奖去咯！

再会了，Blenheim.
接下来，
期待着用另一种脚步来生活，用另一种思考方式来看这个世界。

What is coming next? Let's walk and see.
Meanwhile, I will spend time to complete the write-up of my recent travel diaries and stay tuned for more sharing ok?!