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Thursday October 18th 2007
Hi guys,
It's been 5 months so I thought it was about time I got my backside in gear and updated the old journal!! Sorry I've been so slack its just been ridiculously busy here. As I've got such a massive amount of time to cover I'm going to have to give you an overview of the winter season in Queenstown. I started working at Brown's (ski hire) back in June and absolutely loved it. The guys I was working with are all young and a really good crowd so in between work it was just one long round of snowboarding and partying!! I've put on a load of photos so you can see what I've been up to.
Back in June my cousin Rachel came out to stay for 10 days and although I wasn't around a lot ( I was working 70 hour weeks at work because it was the school holidays) we had a wicked time and it was lovely to see someone from home. At the start of the season my snowboarding was pretty poor to say the least but after 4 solid months of trying, I can now board down blue and black runs and on my last day of the season managed a jump - it was only small but I was extremely proud of myself.
I've made and said goodbye to some amazing friends this season, I'll try and name a few so you can understand the pictures better. I'm lucky that a lot of the guys have stayed for the Summer as well so there are still plenty of us kicking around town, but I have had to say a few tearful farewells which have been hard. Noteably two guys I got on really well with at work Jay and Hayley left in September and I threw them a leaving party - it was a great night and a good way to say goodbye. I also said goodbye to a great guy Dan, he was from Oxford and went home to a new job we got on really well and I miss him alot. His housemate and my good mate Jamie also left in September which was really sad but he's coming back before Christmas at some point and it will be really good to see him. Another good mate Andy also left to go back to Australia and the place has definitely been a lot quieter since!!
During the season we've had some wicked road trips. About 15 of us went to a mountain called Ohau for a couple of days. It was a wicked weekend we all had a great time and there'd been a big dump of snow the day before which was brilliant. It was the first time I really felt confident on my snowboard as well which was great - I even managed a bit of off-piste! I also met Jimmy there, a physio from Yorkshire originally, we dated for a few weeks but it didn't work out - it will take a lot for me to get involved with someone seriously again, so now we're just good friends which is cool. Ohau was so nice that me Dan, Jamie and Si (their housemate) went back for the day the week after as a bit of a leaving do for Dan and Jamie and had a wicked day. Dan helped me with my boarding all day and by the end I wasn't looking too shabby!
I moved out of my house with the Australians back in August, I loved living with them all but it was just too far from work and I was spending a fortune on taxis. My mate Cat had a room spare at her house which is right near town, so I moved in with her and a Kiwi girl called Helen. The room's great its massive with panoramic views of the mountain ranges and the girls are lovely so I'm very happy there.
My friend Holly from uni arrived in New Zealand about 4 weeks ago and it's been so good having her here - she's fitted in really well and I'm really dreading her going off to Australia in a couple of weeks. Last Monday we hired a camper van and went off on a road trip up to Auckland for a week - it was wicked fun although the weather was a bit dodgy at times. We spent a couple of days in Wellington where I caught up with Fireman Chris (he's in the national new Zealand firefighters calendar this year so I got a copy off him - good photo!!) From there we went up to Taupo where we had a couple of wicked nights out and Holly got to do her skydive - she absolutely loved it!! Next stop was Rotorua where we went zorbing and to the hot pools. On the last night we went to a Maori evening it was brilliant. We saw a cultural show where they demonstrated their traditional weapons etc and then had a hangi. That's a Maori meal, they cook everything under the ground and it tastes amazing. I flew back to Queenstown on Tuesday morning after narrowly missing the earthquake they had in Queenstown the night before - phew!!
I start my new job on Tuesday I'm working for a company called Dart River Safaris as a reservations assistant which I'm really excited about, so I'll let you all know how it goes.
I've got more pics to add - I forgot to bring my camera down - clever girl!! So I'll put those on later in the week.
Love you all lots and lots and lots and lots
Send me some emails
SamXxxxxx
P.S
A. Toni thank you for the email, very jealous of Kirsty and Richard being in Mexico!! Not long until Hong Kong I'm so excitied!! Pressie ideas um… Galaxy chocolate is always a winner other than that cash wouldn't go a miss - I'm so cheeky ay!!
Becky - CONGRATULATIONS again on the engagement I'm so so so so so so so so happy for you and can't wait for the big day - I will definitely be flying back for it.
Laura Loo - hope your back gets better soon miss you lots - 4 more months and I'll be back for a big weekend in Brum!!
Mum - Happy Birthday for the 31st have a great day. Love you xxx
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