Winter is coming...

Game of Thrones fans anyone?  It gets a little dull here in the off season, so we have been supplementing with pop culture, but seriously, Winter IS coming to Queenstown.  Living minimally certainly makes you appreciate little things.  I will never take central heating for granted again after being able to see my breath when I go to sleep at night.  Half of town left with Summer.  All the water adventure shops are converting to ski shops, and going away house parties have taken the place of late nights in town.  Not going to lie, it’s a little depressing saying goodbye to people I've gotten used to spending my days with, especially Lauren and Katie who will be leaving June 3rd.  Luckily I have an awesome group sticking around for snow season!  With 8 roommates, Bram (Belgian), Shelly (Scottish), Tuki (Maori), Dougy (Samoan), Federico (Italian), my roommate Laura (British), and the newest addition Gauthie (French), it will be hard to get lonely!  

View from our front porch

Federico's alarm clock

Dougy in the Kiwi Haka

I’m very happy with my new part-time job at Dotti J and promo gig for World Bar.  Working a lot has been a saving grace from boredom, but many of us have still been going stir crazy in the dead season.  After adapting, I've found the change from “GO-GO-GO” to a more settled lifestyle is pretty nice.  I've done some out of town trips, including hitching down the coast to the surf/college town of Dunedin and multi-day hikes around Otago.  I’ve had lots of nights by the fire with a good book or movie and probably too much time to think.  I don’t have a firm plans of what happens after this, but I have some exciting ideas for Asia after snow season ends.  Anyone interested in Nepal?

Getting there... 

Baldwin St: Steepest Street in the World

St. Kilda Beach, Dunedin

I will not be attending The University of Auckland in July.  I'll go for a Master’s back home.  For now, the opportunity to explore this part of the world and have a snowboard season in Qtown are opportunities I don't want to pass up to sit in classrooms.  I'm picking up Italian words from Fede and working on my Spanish with Spanish and Mexican friends I’ve met. Queenstown is so international; and somehow everyone gets along and thrives. 

I’m SOOOO excited for snowboard season! We’ve been watching lots of videos (Art of Flight is mind blowing if you ride or not), and I got a new board, K2 Nikita Vavavoom.  The mountains are different than anything I’ve ridden before.  The closest ski field to us is Coronet Peak, but it is known for long cues and icey slopes.  I am getting a season pass for the Remarkables, which is a more jagged range that gets the best powder around.  It’s not as well developed; you have to hike to get to the backside, but it has the biggest and best park.  My friend Sophie and I are determined to become park queens this season.

Snow in the distance on the Moonlight Track

Laura in the clouds

Overall, I haven’t been jumping out of planes or off bridges lately, but I'm loving life and loving being settled.  Not having internet or TV at has made me fall into a bubble world. I will try to be better about putting up blogs though! I’m starting to get a little homesick for family and friends so shoot me emails or get on Skype!  

Everyone watching the Haka show

Alizarin Lizard! Our gracious hosts in Dunedin