Victorian Bike

Oamaru is well known a Victorian Heritage, some of the buildings were designed and built in mid-1800s. The hostel I'm staying now was built in 1867. I see the clock and hear the clock everyday where it is the former Post Office in 1883, now the Waitaki District Council Offices which just located opposit of my backpacker hostel, Empire Hotel Backpacker. There are other great historic buildings have been well conserved around the town center.



The Victorian Bike is another thing that caught my interest. I was wondering how they climb up the seat and where is the break... After a while, I realized there wasn't anything called 'break' for a Victorian Bike, if you like to stop, just hold the pedal and press them backward, that's the 'break'! I feel it when I rode on it, it is pretty dangerous going down the hill and it can never climb a steep hill as there is only 1 speed :P

Above is the one we saw displaying in front of the shops. We could only ride on the Victorian Bike like below which look similiar to our 'old black bicycle' with $5/day rental. Good workout! I sweated the most since I came to New Zealand :P

A Gift from Rainbow

Rainbow, here I mean a girl from Hong Kong who stayed at our backpacker hostel for two days. I've been staying at Oamaru for more than a week, and I already visited all places that a visitors would go. I was her 'personal' tour guide to watch blue penguins near by our hostel.

Many guests came for penguins viewing, yellow-eye penguins and blue penguins. They are really cute :) Blue penguin is the smallest penguin among all kind of penguins in the world, an adult blue penguin is roughly about 1 feet height; where yellow-eye penguin is slightly taller than the blue penguin. The best time to view the blue penguins are about 5.30pm (around sunset time in winter) where they finish hunting in the sea and back on shore to go home. So you see them swim near to the coast, then stand up and walk slowly to up to the shore towards their home at bushes on land. When they back to home, sometimes will come out for a walk. So do the yellow-eye penguins.

I led Rinbow to the blue penguin colony where she lost her way the nite before. How kind is she when she got to know that I didn't have a sleeping bag, she left her sleeping bag to me before leaving the hostel. It is such a warm gift that I first got from a stranger where we just met for less than 36 hours. Of course I didn't except anything when bringing her to view the penguins (but it was really a chilly nite). This is just something that I always believe and have been praticing, be sincere when you make friends.

Thanks Rainbow, and thanks the penguins :)

Cooking and Baking

Weather is always around 5 to 9 degree celsius. Sometimes it was drizzling, unlikely to have clear days now. The wind always strong and freezing.

The daily routine is almost the same. Wakeup by the natural alarm, an 100 years old clock tower just opposite of the backpacker at 8am. Make myself a cup of coffee, slices of toast with jam and then enjoy my breakfast. It always a cherish moment to have a cup of hot coffee in the chilling morning and look outside the window hoping for a clear blue sky.

Now I enjoy cooking, even it is just simple, simple yet delicous and nutricous meal. I baked scones at one of the nights :) yummy... Next few days will try out some potato recipes and New Zealand most famous beef pie. Kitchen facilities are excellent, full equipted with baking oven, microwave, etc... Ingredients for the beef pies and potato recipes are not expensive, like milk, cheese, potato, flour, onion, all can be found in supermarket with reasonable price.

So now I can sharpen my baking skill here even it's already been so good :P

Housekeeping

I'll be staying here at the hostel as a cleaner for 2 weeks. My daily tasks include housekeeping, vacuum, toilet/shower room/kitchen/living room cleaning. Busy from 9.30am or 10am after guests checking out till 12 noon. Does this sound like the maid of your house?

I met few Asian friends these two days. 1. Angel from Taiwan, also a cleaner as me. 2. Sunny from Malaysia visited Oamaru with Tomo. 3. Tomo from Japan going to Wanaka for snow boarding next day. 4. Jim from China (NZ citizen) coming to Oamaru for Bachelor Degree industry training...

4 of us (except Jim) went to observe blue penguin last nite just couple of minutes walk from our hostel, but it was in the dark and in the chilling night. We saw few but they refused to came out for a walk and just stayed near the bush. They are cute, a bird swims with wing and they can't fly :P

At least now I can relax for 2 weeks, then I have to worry about my next move and getting a paid job. Everything is back to basic, a shelter and enough food. Although the chocolates, potato chips, milk, cheese & wine here are cheap, but buying them are considered luxury.

My lunch & dinner are very simple, white rice, bowl of mixed vege (with soup/gravy), eggs that's all. Sometimes I share my cook with my workmate. Breakfast always have toast with jam & coffee that provided by hostel. When you are here in this condition, you will just treasure every single rice and appreciate any happy and safe moment.

Oamaru

I've made my trip back to Christchurch from Blenheim, then headed to Oamaru at south east. I wonder is this a wise move? Nobody tells me the answer and I've to make the desicion. When I was about to leave Blenheim, surprisingly the hostel owner told me there're a lot of jobs now and it was easy to get a job. I was like unbelievable, it was totally different from what I heard from other people. Anyway, I've made all my arrangement to Oamaru for the cleaner job to exchange for accommodation. And that was really a messy day and messy trip for me. I have never had a trip without itinerary, don't know what, when and how's next. The feeling is sucks!

Now I realized what kept me going to the south instead of staying for a chance to work in vineyard and stay in the messy workers hostel. There is a call from south, from the wilderness. I'm going one step closer to the beauty of nature and to the peaceful places with snow mountain, lake, coast and wildlife. Although I'm getting risk of running out of money faster, but I think that's the main purpose of my trip. I started to have some plan in my mind, once I make it solid, I believe it will come true.

Life is wonderful, human can do wonder.

Blenheim and Leaving

Came to this place at north of the south island called Blenheim. It supposes a place all year round with seasonal jobs. Perhaps demand is too little and man power is too much, everyone looks so uncomfortable at their face because the difficulty for getting a job in vineyard.

I founnd this place a hell instead of a haven for most. I was suppose to start work as vineyard pruning but came to know that the contractor that willing to take me is not trustful. The only thing I love here is the year round SUNSHINE :) So, I'm leaving this bloody place, I hope I don't have to return and as desperate as most of them... Pray hard.

So I'm leaving here and move to a more peaceful place call Oamaru. This definitely a U-Turn because I'm going to south now. It cost more now. I need to plan well for next move as transport and cost of living is high... and it is really chilly and I expect much more freezing at Oamaru :(

and.. I'll work as hostel cleaner to exchange for free accommodation and food. Save some cost :)

My NZ handphone (64)0210696187, feel free to text me but I won't be able to reply. I'm turning off my M'sia line.

Acclimatization at Christchurch

Everyone says Christchurch is an England liked city, but I thought it looks like US too, until the 2nd day's morning, I do feel it just like London although I've not been there before because it was raining.

I'm spending my time for weather acclimatization and get familiar with everything here, like shopping, eating, internet, phone, banking, public transport, etc. I need to spend wisely as everything is expensive. Lucky that their pipe water is safe to drink so I don't have to buy drinking water. Hostel comes with kitchen and all cooking facilities, I just need to shop for vege,, eggs and rice and I can cook my own lunch & dinner for less than $5 a meal, otherwise it is at least $10 if eating at restaurant.

Weather is cold, but if wearing enough warm clothes, that's fine. I've bought a kid's fleece vest with just $19.90 (the cheapest I found where it normally cost around $40 and above)

Internet is expensive, $3/hr, so I can't spend too much time in writing here, i need to find a job ;)

Take care, DO YOUR BEST IN SCKLM. Taper well, eat well, rest well, and you'll feel amazing that will ease your run!