Grapes, grapes and more grapes!

After a disheartening stay in Wellington trying to find work, I relented and called up a place in Blenheim to join a grape picking crew.

Everyone I have talked to about any kind of fruit picking has said that it is tough and shit work but desperate times call for desperate measures. The least I could do was find an hourly crew to be on because some fruit picking is by quantity.

So once again I was running to the ferry (this time still drunk from the night before) and heading for the south island. I was definitely happy to have a job but also to head back to the south island because I really love the south island and was planning to come back down anyway.

I am working through Kiwi Bunk House who run a hostel and vineyard work for the area. Most people staying in the hostel work in the vineyards. I was lucky that they put me in the smaller hostel located above the office which is more like a flat then a hostel. The facilities are really nice and new and there is only 7 people staying here. The girl’s room has a dressing room and bathroom attached that I only share with 2 others while the men have to share amongst 5 and their room is much smaller than ours. Free laundry, roof deck, and front patio, sky tv, full kitchen facilities but no internet.

Physically grape picking isn’t  hard, it depends on the orchard and how low the plants are but since I’m short I have an easier time than some of the others. Psychologically it is hard because we are not allowed music, some days we are not allowed to talk to each other so the only sound we have is the sound of the tracker.  I work better with music so I find some days really hard especially when it is 6:30am.

The people I work with are generally nice. There have been a few that rub me the wrong way but in a group of 30 that will happen and it was mostly over the BBQ. I got it in my head that it would be nice to gather everyone together for a potluck to eat and drink as a team. Have you ever tried to have a potluck with backpackers??? We’ll don’t! I know backpackers are cheap but seriously people only wanted to buy crisps so we would have just had a dinner of crisps.

After the drama of trying to get people to see the point of a potluck, I gave in and forgot the idea. Instead I collected $5 from everyone and bought the food and organized the cooking and cleaning. It was a lot of work for me but in the end I got what I wanted; an evening of food, drink and fun.

Now the grape picking season is coming to an end (really short this year) and I will be hitting the road again to make the journey home.

XOXO

Sid

Best Laid Plans

When I decided to come to NZ I made the choice to not plan much beyond my first week in Auckland. I didn’t want to close myself off to possibilities.

The first half of my trip was pretty uneventful aside from missing Christmas with Brooke in Wellington to be in Akaroa for work. I have often questioned why I choose to spend a week in Auckland, but if I didn’t stay for a week I would have never met Brooke who is a friend for life.

The second half of my trip started on the wrong note. The night before I didn’t really sleep instead opting to drink with Ricki until 5am. So it was no surprise I missed my shuttle to Christchurch at 10:30am, which then meant leaving Christchurch a day later than planned.

I decided to stay the night in Lake Tekapo which was a great decision but took up another day on a tight schedule. The only reason my schedule was tight was because I volunteered for WOMAD and had to be in New Plymouth in the north island by March 16.

The great thing about staying in Lake Tekapo was meeting Knowing on the bus the next day and she turned out to be part of the amazing 210 crew. I was having such a great time with the 210 crew; I decided to extend my stay an extra night shortening my time in Wanaka.

This leads me to the black hole that was Franz Josef and all the mishaps that happened there. (See previous blog)

After arriving in Nelson I only hadone night so I walked around for a bit and got some dinner. Ricki had given me a list of places to go but instead I opted for the cheapest option which turned out to be the worst meal I’ve had in NZ.

I was up early, got some breakfast and was still 30mins early for my bus to Picton so I decided to go in the gift shop and get some more postcards. I was watching the bus stop and didn’t see what I thoughtwould be my bus so I just kept wandering until I looked at my watch and realized my bus should have arrivedalready. I went in to the info office and asked when the bus would arrive and they said it already left and that it was the unmarked bus that was there the whole time.

I immediately freaked out and asked when the next bus was and they said the next day, so they checked the flights which were all sold out. All that was left to do was try and hitchhike to Picton and catch a later ferry.

I’ve never hitchhiked before and I’m sure my mom won’t be happy to hear this but it turned out. This really lovely older couple from the north island was catching the same ferry as me so they gave me a ride and bought me lunch. I was so grateful for them because they were really great to talk to and we had a long discussion about how you met people along the way in life.

Now that I’m in Wellington and trying to settle down again things haven’t been working out, after weeks I still don’t have a job. What this means is that I will have to cut my trip short and come home soon because my money is rapidly disappearing.

Despite my best laid plans it has been a bumpy ride,but the thing about travelling is it’s all about the people you meet along the way. They make all the difference between a good or bad experience. Though my trip has been less than smooth, it has allowed me to meet some of the most amazing people that I would have never met if things had gone as planned.

XOXO

Sid