I am in a pricey internet spot so this is an excerpt from a message to Tom:
"Got back into town after a 2 hour trek up to "The Centre of New Zealand" summit. Took my time going up. It took me 20 minutes to climb to the 1800 ft. point. Great place to see the Nelson area from. Took a less direct route down and a couple of side trips for photos
"Having a great 24 hours though. Was talking to Suzanne (girl at hostel in Warkworth) yesterday at lunch about how much I enjoyed the courses and would like to do the Advanced but for the money situation. She said "...go talk to Paul. He's good at finding a way around these things...". So I did. Before I left the school at 3:00, Paul offered me a job, in writing. He needs someone to be Manager at the backpackers' for 5 weeks starting 14 June when Tim goes on vacation. As Tim was driving me to the bus and we talked about it. Lots to think about there.
"When I got to Auckland I checked into the Queen Street Backpackers and went to the Internet Depot next door where I had my certificates scanned and sent the file off to all the crew agencies I know of. Had to post it to a couple of crewing website resumes too. The guy at the Internet Depot smiled and said "no charge" to me after telling 2 guys who were buddying up to him for freebies that is was $1 per page for scanning as he did a few pages for them. For me he actually manipulated the scans so all three would be on one page in a single file and sent it to my computer so I could send it. He's a nice young fellow who always smiles widely when I walk in and says a big hello like a dear old freind had just walked in. I spend way too much time in the Internet Depot in Auckland :-D Got next to zero sleep last night.
"The flights to Nelson (South Island) were uneventful. The first from Auckland to Wellington took about 1 1/2 hours in a plane that seats about 80. There was a rain and wind storm blowing so we had a rough landing and the pilot deserved a round of applause for not bouncing at all. The second from Wellington to Nelson was about 30 minutes in a plane that seats about 16-18 and had the curtain to the cockpit open so we could see the pilots.
"When I got to Nelson I waited patiently at the airport shuttle stop and was blessed by the Nelson Bays Shuttle. A nice young woman (late 40s, heehee) driver who took me to a beautiful new backpackers. I am in a dorm of 6 bunks alone... so far... for $20/night. It is a beautiful old Victorian that has been extended and totally renovated. All gorgeous new bathrooms, showers, etc. All the beds, linens and towels are brand spanking new too. Very comfy. Modern kitchen, SkyTV in the lounge, laundry on each floor, everything. The owner there is helping me get a job that comes with a "fast visa" that I could start on Friday morning probably. It is a job in a sorting shed. The growers prefer to hire women for the shed because they have a better eye for the different grades of apples, etc. or so I've been told. Things are moving along fast all of a sudden. Fingers crossed. If I get this job and can keep it going until the June job starts... well I could be here living, earning money and getting my STCW Advanced certification too.
"Oh Yeah, the hostel manager job comes with free accommodation, food, supplies and all the amenities. I would get the apartment that Tim and his wife and baby have been living in. And the school would pay my tuition for the Advanced course out of the weekly salary. I would still get some of it for pocket money. The Advanced course is 5 day Fire Fighting, 5 days Sea Survival, 5 days First Aid, launch handling, radio operator and one other course I don't remember. Paul is working out the details. I will have to take the training before June 14th.
"Anyway it is all alot for my poor exhausted brain to process so I am now off to a movie at the cinema around the corner and up Trafalgar Road. Don't know what I'll see. It depends on what is playing at this time. There are about 20 films playing in a 5 screen 'complex'. It will be popcorn for supper. I had a very healthy, filling late lunch at 1:30. I look forward to the relaxation and hope to follow it with a good night's sleep."
End of excerpt.
The movie I saw was "Lost in Translation" which was good but I felt the critical praise it is receiving is WAY over the top. Bill Murray just is not believable in the role. Why would a gorgeous young married woman bother with the likes of a man who was not even good looking in his youth and is downright unattractive in his mid-life crisis? I am waiting for the movies with unattractive, chubby middle-aged women who have gorgeous, sexy young guys falling in love with them. These guys like Bill Murray, Jack Nicholson and Walter Matthau being paired up with Helen Hunt, Jodie Foster and the like is just crazy. OK, enough ranting for now.
Today it is dreary and raining so my plans to go on a couple of local treks up the hillsides is off. The tracks would be running with rain today and slippery. Now I am off to see the Backpacker's owner about the work he has lined up. I have also just received a message from another grower that I have been in touch with over the last couple of weeks but he seems to skirt around the issue of the work visa. I will phone him at home tonight to talk about it when my rates are lower on the mobile.
I have been shopping for needed items and books. The bookshop keepers have told me that they get lots of Canadian titles/authors but American are hander to get. So, everywhere you go there are Carol Shields books and lots of them. She is a favourite here in NZ. I have managed to find an interesting store here in Nelson... all you over 40s out there in Ottawa especially may recall ToyWorld? Well ToyWorld is alive and well and prospering in Nelson and in fact, I am told, all over NZ. It is apparently an Australian based company. But it is definately the same store. I could tell by the logo and sign. Took a pic to post for all to see. Photos will be up on the blog gallery soon but there are more to come.
Must run now. Cheers to all!
Posted by gailene at April 8, 2004 02:56 PM