then the 5 of us got out, got kitted up with our crampons etc and set off on a hike!!
Oh my god!! Not long after we started I fell through the ice into an icy pool well past my waist! This meant I had to do the rest of the hike in wet clothes (they kept checking I was okay as sometimes they have to helicopter ppl out due to hyperthermia).
I felt fine apart from being a tad chilly. I was glad I was in shorts, It sounds mad to be in shorts on a glacier, but if you get wet then clothes take ages to dry so your actually warmer in shorts!! However a few minutes later a person behind me noticed that the snow had these little red bits in. I hadnt even noticed I was bleeding!! Fact for the day.. ice is razor sharp. I have tonnes of cuts.. and the most massive bruises!!!
From then on I was terrified of falling, you had to jump over crevices and squeeze through them... scary but great!! I couldnt look down when jumping over these crevices!! sometimes there wasnt enough room for feet on a flat surface to you would to walk along a crevice legs apart each foot at an angle.. hoping your crampons would hold...
The next day I ached!! and I went swimming so evreryone was commenting on my cuts and bruises!!
I spent the day with the manager of Glenfern Villas. We went to the nearest town which is Hokitika - 2 hours away and we also went to greymouth. Franz Josef locals do their supermarlet shopping in either Hoki or greymouth so its a bit of a day trip!
We took the kids swimming (and I went for a swim too) then lunch at KFC and then while they went to the cinema I went and got some shopping done (I desperately needed more smart clothes for work so I got another pair of smart trousers and a black shirt, luckily I get the shirts and jackets supplied from work as they have logos on.. then we went to the supermarket and i got lots of supplies in! The little shop in franz in very expensive (they can charge what they like as theres nowhere else for hours you can buy anything..!)
Today after work (I finished at 2pm) I went on a walk (1.5 hours) to the glacier and varoius viweing points and various other tracks of about 30mins each. It was a nice walk. theres toones of tracks around here.
I'm now going to get back and try to get to know Jesika, she arrived with a very surly bloke who I'm guessing is her boyfriend.. who I'm hoping smiles occasionally..!
There will be more photos everyone.. even more stunning amazing ones of the glaciers but am getting bored waiting for them to load so you'll have to wait for another day...

So what have I been up to lately?!
Well working alot obviously! have had so much to learn that my head has felt like its going to explode!! But its great!!Its good to have the challenge of learning new things!! My boss says I'm doing great and they are going to go away for a couple of days next week and leave me as manager! So thats a good sign! I'm happy as so far theres nothing I cant do, have learnt all the computer systems and booking systems etc and we have a new cleaner starting tomorrow so everything is running smoothly!!
I have now moved out of my luxury suite in the hotel (unfortunately couldnt stay there forever, we do have guests that want it)! I now live about 3 minutes down the road in a house share. I have a nice ensuite room. At the moment I live with Ana from Brazil and Jesika from California is moving in today. Its been good so far. Ana is quiet but friendly.
I had 2 days off work this week and guess what I did!!?? It was one of the best experiences of my life.. and maybe one of the scariest!!
I went on a helihike!!
I got helicoptered up to the top of the glacier
Photos from the helicopter...

This is me and the jade I carved MYSELF in Hokitika

This is Arthurs Pass and a Kea trying to eat my food!!

These photos are all of Punakaiki on the West coast. This is the Pancake Rocks and Blow holes. if you go at high tide then water spurts out of the blow holes..

Wainui Falls

Tilt heads...

Me on swing bridge at Totaranui

Day trip to Totaranui with all my Takaka friends

Ina, have forgotten threes twos names, hopefully wrote them in blog at the time! and Katy

Old Man Rock... look carefully at the rock...

This is the sand moving at Farewell Spit, you had to be there to see how weird it was!!

Me and Katy at Farewell Spit

okay, I give up.. you were to get an update and lots of cool glacier photos today but its taking so long to even load up a couple of photos that I'm going to try another day...

Me at Farewell Spit

Sheep and lambs! I at least need some photos of them seeing as though this is NZ!!

Its been lambing season for the last couple of months so lots of cute little lambs everywhere!!

Pot Luck Meal in Takaka.
I could go through the names of the nice ppl but can barely remember them all after a couple of weeks.. and I dont suppose it really matters?! but we did have a good few days together anyway!

Remember when I said I made my own sushi in takaka?! well this is the proof!!

Going back through new disc now so going back in time up to now!

This is of Pupu Springs in Takaka. A sacred maori place, where the water is clear, there is also thermal activity so it bubbles up!

Not updated in a while so phoned mum and dad the other day just to assure them I'm alive and tell them how excited I am about my current job and living environment!
Anyway, better start from the begginning, last time I updated I was in Takaka. I managed to cadge a ride to Nelson from a guy staying in the backpackers and had every intention of catching the afternoon bus from Nelson to Westport. However, I got waylaid In Nelson and decided to spend a couple of days there. I was actually trying to hurry as I had accepted a job In Franz Josef as Assistant Manager of a hotel. It wasnt definate as I had to getthere and have an interview but I kinda knew that I had a very good chance from my conversations with the manager. Anyway, I decided to stay in Nelson as the bone crver had an open day the following day. I had been wanting to do bone carving the entire time I was in Nelson but hadnt as he had ben shut for the entire winter. But the open day was great and I would love to go back and do a workshop and learn how to bone carve myself.. one day.
That night we decided to go to a quiz to try and win stuff. Everyone else was about 20 years older than us so our excuse was that the quetions were biased! A guy called Josh had checked in earlier in the day so he came out with us (Me, Anna, Christi, and Joanne). We then went on a pub crawl where I managed to not spend any money (have a feeling Josh spent hundreds as I had a lot of $20 cocktails!) Josh and I hit it off well which was cool. So a very good night was had by all. Josh unfortunately had a flight to catch at 7am and he and I hadnt actually had any sleep, we'd stayed up all night. then there was so much alcohol in my system that I couldnt go to sleep (I've never slept well when theres alcohol in my system). However I've always been very proud of the fact that I never get hangovers. Hah! Now I have learnt my lesson forever.. for the next 2 days I could barely sip water. Everone was very amused at the site of my wincing to put one foot in front of the other. of course I swore never ever to drink again.
The next day was a psychic fair that I had been wanting to go to so despite my hangover I forced myself to go. I had a reading done by two people. A guy who had spent time in North America and did animal tarot readings. I kind of went to that one as he is a shaman and remeined me of Bryan. it was a great reading anyway. I have alot more travelling to do yet apparently (good), but it wont necesserily be an easy road (oh dear). I will however be meeting a man soon (yay)! the animal bits were every interesting. the main one for everything in my life and my personality was the eagle which is of course special so that was good and reassuring. he also told me to follow any sudden desisions and ideas and to try evrything new that I can.
I had another reading from Diana as I had wanted one the entire time I lived in Nelson. That was great too, she said I'm going to meet a kiwi (yay), that I need to go to Switzerland (cool, its never occured to me to go there before but okay if you say so!). As she is a clairvoyant and has done channeling I asked her about Bryan. she said there was no way she could communicate with him as it was so soon.. then she stopped still and said Hang on... she then proceeded to describe him perfectly (the way he looked and his personality and how much love he put into helping ppl.
I still hadnt had any sleep by this point.. 3pm and I had a sudden random idea to catch a bus. so I threw myself on the 3pm bus (having 10 mins to pack!!) and fell asleep! I decideed to go down to Punakaiki since theres not alot in Westport and I did need to get down to Franz. I had a spa on the beach and went to bed early and high tide was early in the morning. I went to the pancake rocks and blow holes for 7am and it was really amazing (you'll have to see the photos).
I then wasnt sure whether to stay another day or go on to greymouth but the weather was disgusting so there was no point in my staying to do walks so since a scottish girl was driving to greymouth I cadged a lift. We stayed at Global vIllage which is a very nice backpackers. I still had a hangover so while she went caving I watched a foreign film called shanghai bicycle. we then went out to dinner etc. I was looking for some summer clothes, since it had been baking in Nelson and I had, had to smother myself in sun tan lotion.. and I was starting to get a tan etc.. I managed to get some long shorts smart enough to wear at work (of course now I'm in Franz there is no need for summer clothes!!)
I then decided to go to Arthurs Pass to do a walk so I got a bus and stayed at a nice backpackers. I did the bridle pathway walk and Avalanche Peak. OMG I can see why people die evry year at arthurs pass. it was so steep!! (theres like 4-5 day walks but I only did a 6 hour one and a 2 hour one which was enough!) It was literally like rock climbing!! scary but good, lots of photos of snowy mountains!
The next day was disgusting weather so I decided to leave and go to Hokitika. In Hokitika I wanted to do a jade carving workshop. I spent 2 days designing my own piece of jewellery and then carving it from scratch (with various machine I had to learn to use), then I had to sand a polish it! I was really impressed. People have since commented on my lovely jade pendant and its great to be able to say I made it myself! If anyones going to Hokitika go to Bonz and Stonz. The first night in Hoki I stayed a dodgy weird backpackers, well the actual place was nice but the owner was odd. so I moved to a different backpackers the second night. I met a few ppl though, went out for hot chocolate etc with a girl from england the first night, and then second night I went out for an indian with some french ppl.
The follwing day I walke to the main road and was just deciding whether to put my bags down firstand then hitch or to keep holding them and started to raise my thumb to hitch when a car stopped.. that was quick!! got a ride to Ross. A goldmining village (alot of gold comes from it!), then hitched a lift again, (took about 5 mins), got dropped off in Hari Hari where it took about 20 mins to get my next ride to Franz Josef. It was raining as usual (as I think it always does on the west coast)
I walked to my hotel where I would hopefully be working and got shown my room which I had been told I could stay in overnight. It is a $250 a night suite.. king size bed, my own balcony into a rainforest, my own spa bath, underfloor heating. one of those gas fires that looks like a real fire. my own kitcken. and sky TV. After sleeping in dorms for so long I was beyond excitement.
I had an interview in the afternoon is which I suggested a trial (so either one of us could back out) she like the idea so I have a 1 month trial as Assistant Manager. I decide to chill out and not worry and if its meant to be it will be. There is a hell of alot for me to learn. I am getting my head round calista (a computer programme). I watched the first day and was left to it the second day. (having to reply to 50 emails and the check outs etc..) We are getting bookings as far ahead as November 2007.. OMG thats over a year away! Scary! some are trying to get accomodation for this christmas.. as if!
The first night I went out for dinner with Eva (yes the same Eva who I worked with in Akaroa and Nelson) as she is a cleaner at Rainforest retreat next door (small world huh?!), the second night I went for dinner at my bosses house ( we got take out from rainforest retreat which eva had cooked!), got fed plenty of sauvignon blanc (though I was very restrained after the mammoth hangover last week) and also done want to give a bad impression at the beginning!
the next night it was the Alice May opening so went to party with free alcohol and nibbles. I met loads of ppl and probably drank too much (though I hope nobody knew as I stopped and said no more!). That was last night, so today I have the morning off and dont work till 2. I'm doing the 2-8 shift. So it will be all the checking in. As I've been doing mornings, there will be plenty of different stuff for me to learn!
Oh I forgot, my suite which was only meant to be for one night... Marie asked if I would mid staying in there till 1st October when my flat would be ready. So am enjoying my luxury suite!!
I went to look at my flat yesterday, it'll be a flat share with 2 other girls. But I get the en suite and they have to share a bathroom. Hopefully it will be good and I will get on with them!
Its past of my job to do all the tourist trips so I will be going on various helihikes and helicopter rides over Mount cook and the glaciers etc! I cant wait!! In case you dont know what Franz is like, its basically a small street next to a glacier! the rest is wilderness!

When the mail boat got into Havelock I had to wait 3 hours until Anna’s boyfriend Bryan was passing through so I went to the pub. I had a great time!! I was a tad tipsy by the time Brian arrived!
I bought myself a drink and introduced myself to some people, first an American doctor who I chatted to for half an hour or so until she had to leave and then a group of 5 or so blokes. I even have someone to go and stay with in Bluff. They bought me the next few drinks and dinner so all in all in it was a good few hours!
I stayed 2 nights in Nelson at Shortbread Cottage catching up with people, then got the bus to takaka. Going up takaka hill was not good for travel sickness 365 bends in 45 mins!! Yeugh!!
I chatted non stop with various ppl on the bus, a fisherman and then someone who was going to live on a commune.. then persuaded the driver to drop me off outside barefoot backpackers rather than walk from the bus stop.
It’s a nice place, was only going to stay there one night, now its 4 days later..
Have been out various places, first pupu springs, femke gave me a lift up there and I hitched back with two older ladies (see I’m safe really), then in the afternoon I went to pohara beach and lay on the beach reading and chatting with femke, erin, gary, ina, and timo. We then had a pot luck dinner, we made sushi ourselves! That was cool! Now I know I could make it again on my own! And these yummy feta and spinach pasties! Am adding to my recipe book all the time!
The following day Femke lent katy and I her car (katy was a friend I met in nelson who arrived the day after me in takaka) and we drove up to farweell spit and went on a lovely 2 hour walk and saw gorgeous beaches etc and walked along the spit. we also went to collingwood and to rosy glow chocolates, a chocolatier. yum!! I hadnt had chocolate in 3 weeks so it was even better!
I then went to the internet shop to send my CV to a job in Franz Josef and read the most horrible news and burst into tears in the middle of the internet shop. My therapist Bryan from back home died on Monday 11th September. he had been in perfect health when I left and in this short space of time he was diagnosed with lung cancer and has now died. its a terrible waste. i can't describe what he was like, imagine someone in white suit with tails and hat walking through town centre. he helped so many people, including me. i sent postcards to him while I was out here but it didnt feel enough, I hope he knew how much I thought of him. (sure we had arguements and there were times I hated him, but he always joked about that, he was known for twisting the knife and making someone angry!) i feel awful for his family, particularly his wife arole who I used to go to self defence with every week and their 9 year old son.
i knew he was going to die, stragely I was in a guided meditation and I felt him "visit" me. I wasnt sure what to think.. surely all tht stuff is bollocks?! but nevertheless, it was a really strong presence and he spoke to me and said some really nice stuff and I was left feeling good and positive. its the second funeral I have not gone to this year, earlier in the year it was my grandma, also lost to cancer. I hope reincarnation exists and they are in good places now..

I felt sombre all evening so I didnt go to the pub with my mates, instead I read my book and chilled out. I meant to leave the next day (today) but them everyone said they were going to wainui falls and totaranui and I couldnt resist. i had a great time, walking over a spring bridge and through the forests to a lovely waterfall, then picnic lunch on a beach, french bread, salami, brie, camembert, and apricot hummus! what could be better?! yes mum and dad.. all those years of complaining in france when i hated the cheese and now I like it! mind you not the molten stinky stuff you like.. more the fresh stuff!
I plan to leave takaka tomorrow and try to get down to westport. i have an interview to get down to in franz Josef a job managing a hotel..

These are the songs we used to sing at the Lighthouse. I’ve typed it up and put it on here for myself really so I can remember the vibe and good times!

I have a Dream

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail.

I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I’ll cross the stream
I have a dream

I have a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another mile

*chorus*

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cop with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail

*chorus*

I wish I knew how it would feel to be free

I wish I knew how, it would feel, to be free
I wish I could break, all the chains, holding me
I wish I could say, all the things, I should say
Say em loud, say em clear
For the whole wide world to hear

I wish I could share, all the love, that’s in my heart
Remove, all the bars, that keep us apart
And I wish, you could know, how it feels to be me
Then you’d see, and agree, that every man should be free

I wish I knew how, it would feel, to be free
I wish, I could break, all the chains, holding me
And I wish I could say, all the things I want to say
Say em loud, say em clear, for the whole wide world to hear
Say em loud, say em clear, for the whole wide world to hear
Say em loud, say em clear, for the whole wide world to hear
One Love, One blood, one life, you got to do what you should
One Life, Withy each other, Sisters, brothers,
One Love, but were not the same, we get to carry each other
Carry each other, woah, woah, woah, woah
I wish, I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish, I knew how it would feel to be free

I desperately want to put a video clip on here but it wont let me so you'll have to wait until I get home to see it, it will look great on a tv screen!! Its of dolphins this close, this is a bad shot of a dolphin but promise the video shows it properly, i dont know ho to separate it into stills and use it as photos but will learn one day!

Me and a founder, caught accidently in the scalloping net along with a starfish, loads of hermit crabs, octopus, a pair of sunglasses..
So i had to take my bags onto the scalloping boat and text the mailboat to say meet me in the middel of the water in so and so bay and then jump on and have my stuff thrown on after me! It gave the tourists on the mailboat something to take a picture of and I was very popular once i got on, they all wanted to talk to this girl who'd leapt onto the boat, scallops flying everywhere...! (some people pay lots of money to spend the day with the postman as he delivers thge post to rural spots) i felt kind of guilty as they hadnt seen any dolphins all day and I had just seen tonnes...!

A scallop! we cught 500 or so of these from dredging the bottom of the sea. They gave me a bag full as I left and i took them back to the backpackers in neslon! i was a little worried about how to cook them etc but i managed well, had a scallop caesar salad and they were scrummy!

i also ate raw scallops on the baost! they said i wasnt a very good pom as I was meant to squeel in disgust at the thought when offered rather than say okay them and pop it straight into my mouth!!

The first 2 shots are of blue penguins under the floor boards at the Shands! weird to think that such a rare creature is so common there! i was very excited to see them so close up!
the 3rd photo is on their boat while we were scolloping and the 4th photo is of the Shands house from the boat. Gorgeous huh?!

Photo 1 is of mahalia holding my bumble bee hot water bottle while helping my tidy my caravan!
Photo 2 is a pretty view up the hill!
Photo 3 made me laugh! it was at one of the lodges at catherdral cove from the previous owners!!
Photo 4 is Zannah, he lost 2 teeth, one from falling over on a boat and another runing about somewhere!

Okay who would have thought 10 years after being an animals rights nutter who was vegan i would have a great time possum hunting?!
We shot 10 possums and collected all those in the traps.
I helped spot them and pluck the fur out to be sold! (maybe I should buy soething made of possum fur?)

!st september was officially beginning of spring for NZ! yay!! its like summer already!! really caught the sun yesterday!

all in all the wwoofing job was a great experience, it really took my out of my comfort zome and there was no time to be shy with that many people at a dinner table!

A sunrise from my caravan! worth getting up for!!

The food was great at the Sounds! It was all from their farm or hunted from the land 9wild pig, deer, goat..)

Alot of people asked me before I went if this fmaily were religious and i ddint know.. yes they are. it was quite a surprise at the first meal to hold hands round the table and break into song. Nice though, each to their own and I've got used to standing in circles and holding hands at my workshops back home and at the groups I was going to in nelson.

I worked hard , soemtimes working up to 8 or 10 hours a day and at some points the weekely mail boat felt a long time coming but by the end I was sorry to go!

This is Mahalia and the pig Michael. he is a wild piglet. When the kill a mummy pig sometimes they take the piglets home..

Mahalia and Zannah are really cute kids. I've never had so many hugs and kisses before. and when i was leaving Mahalia said she would love it if I came back as she would miss me.. which was very sweet of her considering how many wwooffers go though that place!! they have a wwooffers book or 2! they have had up to 13 wwoffers at a time there!!

Shoshannah I think was trying to wind me up! She was a test of patience!!

The kids were completely different while their mum was in the USA, she'd been away 6 weeks and they were wild! it made me see rules are a good thing! When i was younger I watched a documentary on Summerlea school and thought it looked great but this made me think again!

Theres lots of animals at the farm:

Cows

sheep and cute lambs

dogs

pigs

cats

mussells..

I've done all sorts of different jobs:

stacks of washing (imagine how much that mnay kids make)

Landscaping (shovelling dirt)

Reading stories to kids

Cleaning

Painting (rooms, ceilings, windows, boats...)

Electric Sandiing furniture

Electric grinding paint off the roof

colecting fire wood

Cooking Washing Up

Scalloping.. etc etc.

This is the view from their place at Marlborough Sounds..

Actually rather than just shoving photos on maybe I should start saying what happened..

Rigth lets go back in time...

Before I left Nelson a friend from work moved into 11 westbrooke St which was just down the road from my place. so I went round there friday after my work do and at the weekend.

The work do was lovely, they gave me a beautiful neclace and gave me a lovely card with such nice messages on that it made me cry!

On the Sunday evening Eva and I went out for a roast dinner at the Victorian Rose which was yummy! one of those eat as much as you can things!!

the last few days ended up a whirlwind as cat texted me Suinday night and asked to pick me up Tuesday straight after work so I ended up working all Monday, spending and emotional last eveningsaying goodbye to everyone at The lighthouse and then working all day Tuesday having more emotional goodbyes with the Child Care Centre and then on the way home from work Cat texted me to say she was there already!

In the car was 2 of the kids, Catrona (23) and Briana (18). cats been a glacier guide in franz josef for the last 5 years.

Briana was driving while cat was downing Smirnoff ices.. which confused me alittle as I was sure I had read that there was n oalcohol to be brought to their place..! but thats obviously the parents not the kids! I heard Tim (the dad, not mine, this families..)say at one point that alcohol causes you to let the evil spirits in or something..

Anyway.. I felt SOOOOO sick on the way, the last 1 and a half hours were just a gravel road!

the family are:

Tim and Raewyn.

Jesika (27 - lives next door)

Sunniva (25 - lives in Auckland)

Catriona (23)

Anson (21, in Australia)

Brianna (18)

Sebastian (15)

Nathan (10)

Shoshannah (8)

Mahalia (6)

Zannah (3)