Sunday Winetasting

I Was Born With A Suitcase In My Hand

Okay. So I get bored easily. Whether it is a job, food, relationships or life in general, it seems that I always need more. I think I was born with a suitcase in my hand. I am constantly on the go--living on the East Coast, West Coast, back to the Midwest and now overseas. After three months in New Zealand I am starting to grow tired of the Kiwi South Island lifestyle. It is slower paced than Chicago and the food is awful. Today I had my first gourmet meal--salmon with potatoes and mango salsa. YUMMY! It was a breath of fresh air. Every day for lunch I eat canned tuna and crackers because I don't know what else to eat. The canned tuna here is really good. There are many different flavors so I don't grow tired of it. The flavors range from sweet thai chili, ginger and lemon, tomato and basil and olives, lemon pepper, salsa and many more. I am hoping that as I travel around the rest of New Zealand, I will find that it is more culturally evolved than this rural area.

Today I went winetasting with Christian, Gabby and Andries. We went to Lawson's, Wither Hills, Villa Maria and Allan Scott. I tasted some great Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Late Harvest Riesling, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blancs. The weather has been fantastic this weekend. Crisp fall days filled with sunshine and a light breeze. It is so nice to have weekends free again. I am spending a lot of time doing nothing and it actually feels great! I did my laundry yesterday. Let me remind you that dryers are not common here so you have to hang your clothes outside to dry. It is tough during the fall and winter months so I hung up a few articles of clothing inside and put my mini heater on full blast to dry them. This took me the full day to dry a load of clothes.

Check out my pictures from today's winetasting adventure. Cheers!

Oyster Bay End of Harvest

Hanmer Springs, New Zealand

2 Weeks to Go! Copy that?

My New Zealand adventure is coming to an end. It is hard to believe that I arrived in New Zealand three months ago. During this time I have experienced so many things, both mentally and physically. On a good note...my bruises have almost disappeared. I have been fortunate to meet people of all ethnic backgrounds, of all ages, and of all personalities. It has made this journey one I will never forget. Some of these people I will see again or at least keep in touch with via email and others I will probably never have contact with or see again. All the same, each person who I had the honor to work with during harvest, has touched my life in some way or another.

All of us go through some difficult things in life. Some go through more than others. For those of you who know my past and even those of you who don't, this trip was probably one of the best decisions I have made in a really long time. I don't think that I have accomplished everything that I had hoped to accomplish, but my trip has just begun. I am beginning to feel like my old self again. I smile and I laugh. I miss my family and my friends. I apologize for not being able to email, write or call everyone personally. but I hope you are enjoying this blog.

Today I moved from Renwick (Alma Street) into a different vintage house closer to Blenheim. Everyone in our house has been split up into the remaining houses. Gabby and I have a granny flat in back of the main house and it has a bathroom and sink. It is nice to have some private space again.

This past weekend a group of 20 or so of us from the winery went to Hanmer Springs. You can check out the website http://www.hanmersprings.co.nz/thermal/home/ or here is a tidbit I copied from there:

Nestled in the magnificent South Island high country, the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa has, for 125 years, attracted visitors seeking the benefits of its natural mineral waters and clean, clear alpine air. Set in a breathtaking natural landscape, surrounded by forests and mountains, the award-winning Thermal Pools offers visitors a wide range of experiences, from soothing indulgence to exciting family fun. The Thermal Pools & Spa has nine open-air thermal pools, three sulphur pools and four private thermal pools, as well as a sauna/steam room. A fresh-water, heated pool and a popular family activity area, complete with water slides and water toys and picnic area, ensure the Thermal Pools & Spa offer something for everyone.

The pools range in temperature from 33-42° Celsius, perfect for soothing away aches and pains or for just unwinding. The Hanmer Springs geothermal water is drawn from a bore adjacent to the Reserve complex, providing natural water of the highest quality. And with a bounteous supply of the thermally heated spring water, Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa is open 364 days a year.

At the heart of the Hanmer Springs Alpine Village, the Thermal Pools are within easy walking distance of a full range of accommodation, shops, a golf course and other amenities. For outdoor activity, the forests surrounding the village are criss-crossed with walking and mountain bike tracks and the region offers an exciting array of adventure activities. In winter, visitors to Hanmer Springs are only one hour's drive from two excellent ski areas.

During my visit to Hanmer Springs, I went on a nice 2 hour hike to a waterfall. Check out my pictures. I am off to bed.

Cheers,

Becky

Off to the wonderful land of "Oz" (Australia)

I am off to the wonderful land of "OZ". Australia that is. I have decided to extend my stay overseas, and I am moving to Australia on June 25, 2008. I had an interview and was offered a job at Annapurna Estate Winery in Mount Beauty, Victoria. I start the first week of July. Check out the winery's website http://www.annapurnaestate.com.au/.

Quick facts about Mount Beauty--My new home

Population approximately 1,650
344 kilometres north-east of Melbourne

Mount Beauty is nestled at the foot of Victoria's highest mountain, Mt Bogong, in the fertile Kiewa Valley. Initially developed in 1949 to house workers during construction of the Kiewa Hydro Electric scheme, it has prospered into a popular tourist destination with much to offer.
Living up to its name, Mount Beauty has many scenic highlights both in and around the township. It is also a popular base for outdoor activities - from horse riding on the High Plains and bushwalking in the Alpine National Park, to mountain biking along bush tracks and fishing in the Kiewa River. For skiers, Falls Creek is just a short drive away.

Activities and Attractions
Hike through spectacular mountain landscapes
Ride a mountain bike on world class tracks - there are literally hundreds of trails to explore
Explore the scenic trails of the High Country on horseback with an experienced guide
Enjoy tranquil fishing in clear mountain streams
Visit Wallace's Hut, the oldest existing cattleman's hut in Australia
Take in the magnificent views of Mt Bogong and the Mount Beauty township from Tawonga Gap Sample the premium vintages of one of the region's fine wineries.

Link to Google Map to View Mount Beauty


http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&q=Mount+Beauty+VIC,+Australia&ll=-29.840644,147.128906&spn=34.109334,81.914063&z=4

P.S. The picture is from the Marlborough Harvest Party last weekend. I will post more pictures later this week.

Your traveling friend,

Becky

Back to A Semi-Normal Life

It is amazing how fast 8 hours goes after working 12 hour shifts. Last night was my first night of working 8 hours. My new schedule is from 10:45 PM to 7:00 AM. Before I knew it, it was time to go home. I am still scheduled to work 6 or 7 days a week, but now I have some spare time to enjoy or at the current time just sleep.

I have applied for and received approval for a working holiday visa in Australia. I am thinking of moving there next and working there for six months to a year. Last week I had a couple interviews. One was in Chicago and one was in Iowa. I am really not sure where I will end up in the end. I am just taking it day-by-day.

This Saturday is the year end vintage party. P-A-R-T-Y!!! There are 850 people who are going to attend from all the different wineries in Marlborough. I cannot wait.

Other than that, I have started to run again. I have signed up for the Chicago Marathon in October. So now is time to begin my training. I forgot how wonderful it feels to run--the scenery around here is quite magical. The vines are turning fall colors, there is snow in the mountains in the distance and the air is crisp. It is choice!

Up above is a picture of me working hard topping some tanks. I was so into my work that I didn't notice Nathan sneak up behind me. Of course his sidekick, Manual, was there to document it with a picture. When I got up to turn the pump off and move the lines, I was surprised to find Nathan behind me on a bucket. It was a nice laugh! Well, off to work I go.

Cheers, Becky