Wanaka and New Zealand

Hi everyone!

Well sorry for the late update - we have all been pretty busy trying to sort our lives out a bit and get jobs and make the most of the skiing out here.

Firstly a bit about Wanaka - It is a really relaxed and friendly little seasonal ski town where tourists from all over the world flock to in summer and winter to make the most of the ski resorts and also the summer activities. Right now I am looking outside and it is snowing outside so I'm pretty excited about the skiing for tomorrow!! It is a really beautiful place too and is right beside a big lake with some excellent fishing and watersports possibilities whilst the mountains tower alongside its shores.

We arrived and stayed at a hostel called the Purple Cow - a really nice little place with some great views of the lake. As Jub mentioned priority number one was to get a job. Well lets just say it's been hard!! It really seems like there isn't much going and that everything that was has been taken but we are pushing certain opportunities that are starting to arise and hoping to land something. All three of us are starting to get a bit strapped for cash so we are getting a bit desperate for some sort of job. One thing is for sure - NZ is pretty pricy.. Hopefully we will get it sorted, I for one am quite optimistic about our chances, my only concern is our complete lack of experience in useful work i.e. bar work or plumbing (I know I fixed the toilet once dad but it doesn't count!) The good news is that we have moved into a house! It's a really nice place about 5 minutes from town and that is thanks entirely to Si's friend Sara who is an absolute legend and without her we might be living on the streets.. We don't have internet at home though so we probably will struggle to send any photos of the place through but will show the place when we get home.

How's the skiing been?
Well Jub has been tearing it up on a snowboard, keeping up with si and I no problem and really enjoying it. He seems to be improving each time we get up there and looks very natural on a board even if it does make him look like a bit of a pansy! Si has had a couple problems with his skis and knee but the knee seems to be doing a bit better as today he seemed in my view a bit more comfortable and we hope it will get better as time goes by so that he can really enjoy it without damaging it. He is icing it up after each time and bought a knee support to help him whilst he skis. I have been enjoying it a lot aswell - no accidents so far! touch wood.. the slopes are quite limited for a spoilt brat like myself with the resort we go to called Cardrona has only 3 chairlifts but nonetheless I am working a bit on certain elements of my skiing that are weaker and really having a good time riding the slopes with the boys..

Otherwise we took a trip to Mardi Gras in Queenstown for the night a couple nights ago with some friends and that was quite a lot of fun. Queenstown is a bit bigger and was buzzing for their winter festival - we decided to go there at 9pm without a place to stay and just see what happened. Fortunately one of our friends put us all up and then we hitched back to Wanaka yesterday which was also quite a laugh as Si and I took about 3 hours to ge back whilst the other boys managed to get a lucky right straight there. We met a couple strange kiwis and foreigners but made it back no probs..

To be honest there is not a great deal else to mention other than we are all well and enjoying the ski bum lifestyle. New Zealanders are really friendly and helpful people and so there is a good atmosphere around town. I'm sure I missed out a few of our stories here but will fill in the gaps next time if I can think of them. Ok well hope you are all well and look forward to catching up soon.

Love

Mark, Jub and Si