Best Day So Far!

"Grandma's House"

Tuesday has been the best day so far. Was up very early for work and we managed to fill 7 crates (each containing around 5000 apricots) just in the morning, so 5000 picked every half hour between 6 of us. We each get $10 per crate, so $20 an hour... good times. Then we did cherry picking followed by cherry grading, which is where we stand by a conveyor belt and separate the cherries into 1st Class, Second Class and bin. After about 3 hours of this you start to go insane and when you leave everything seems to be moving. Tis strange. Lunchtime was really nice, we all sat out on the veranda of "Grandma's house", lounging in armchairs, eating sandwiches and a couple of the guys were playing guitars. In the heat this was all very enjoyable! For added hilarity Silvano sniffed whilst eating and had a noodle dangle out of his nose before dissapearing again, I haven't laughed so hard                                                                                         in a long, LONG time.



Evening was both surreal and awesome.. I kinda shaked off the nerves I hadn't realised I had and just started ruthlessly socialising with all the different groups. First I was invited by some Japanese people down to the river for a couple of beers (we had meant to go to the pub but it was closed, stupid sleepy town!), they are all lovely, although the language barrier can be difficult at times, but with a man from Czech Republic and a couple of Africans there I wasnt' alone in not understanding some conversation. Things got all the more surreal when Makato begins telling me that one of the Japanese girls is mine (they are all like late 20's) and then the group began (and still are) referring to me as a Prince, simply because, and I quote, "Because you are young, handsome, talented Prince". Don't worry it won't go to my head the constant mockery of my strong accent see's to that! Anyway, it was quite fun, plus the African guys are great musicians and have even made a bass type instrument here, very impressive.

Once I was back at the hostel I joined a group sitting on the porch (again in wonderful old armchairs) who were made up of Germans, French and Kiwi's. They were incredibly friendly and welcoming and are actually really funny (even the Germans despite their bad reputation for humour) and I have now been invited on a road trip to Queenstown this Saturday to hit the clubs there and I am thoroughly looking forward to it. (Providing I can get the weekend off work.. these lunatics work 7 days a week here, me included)

Roxburgh (From John and Pat's)

I'm very much the youngster here so that plus being the only Brit has lead to a lot of people knowing who I am before I meet them, I still can't remember most people's names which can get very embarrassing at times, so purely for my benefit I'm just going to note down all the names I remember on here, for the memories, you know..

Makato, Takako, Sebastian, Jerry, Valentine, Kevin, John, John, John, Angela, Hiroshi, Ian, Ryan, Silvano, Benjamin, Jimmy, Bako, Mako, Carla, Eileen, Yvonne, Michelle, Becky, Noeline, Martin, Ivan, Django, Nickoli, Malty, Laura, Pat, Neil, Annabelle.

That's about a third of the people I have been introduced to I think, I'm never gonna remember all their names!