Well I've endured about all the harassment I can stand concerning the writing of a new blog post. Here it is!
Apologies for not posting sooner- but life has been pretty dull as of late, especially in comparison to my earlier New Zealand adventures.
...What? You would too if you were constantly trying to vacuum around loads of garbage, gear, smelly clothing and rancid shoes.
As you've probably guessed, I'm feeling a bit of strain when it comes to the guests here. It seems that because of their long-term stay status at the hostel, they feel it is their right to leave a huge mess in their wake. Dirty dishes are the WORST part of the mess, and they are ever constant in the kitchen. Below is a photo I took of the security cameras in my house that shows the kitchen counter. So annoying.
One (MESSY) French guy even said to me, "You get paid to do my dishes."
...If I had a dish cloth in my hand I would have strangled him with it.
No bud. I DON'T get paid to do your dishes. I get paid to oversee the running of the hostel, and to make sure that people are adhering to the rules set for them. I also get paid to do the basic cleaning of the place, including the 8 bathrooms, kitchen, common areas, etc. This includes vacuuming, dusting, tidying, doing the laundry, garbage, recycling and changing the beds. I also am required to pick up people from transport terminals, and to find jobs for guests through our many local contractors.
Notice how I didn't include babysitting in my list of paid duties? In spite of this, it's a large part of my job, but the good part is that this position isn't forever. The day I drive away from this place will be a joyous one, as I will never have to plug my nose as I change a pungent set of bed sheets or vacuum up a colony of fingernails again. I keep telling myself this and it helps me to see into the future where more adventures await!
Aside from a few of the people, the hostel itself is actually quite nice. It's an old one-level house, and all of the rooms within the building are themed with the name of a country. In fact, the largest dorm we have is the Canada room. (It can also be the smelliest. Yuck.)
The hostel is in a little city called Blenheim, and as far as being stuck in the New Zealand winter is concerned, it's a pretty swell place to be. Most of the country has received tons of snow already, with the ski hills set to open this Saturday. Over here in little ol' Blenheim though we have yet to see the stuff. In fact, this city rarely sees snow, in spite of the fact that the next town over has had rolling power outages and loads of the white fluffy stuff. I almost laughed yesterday while watching the news, as the top story in NZ was the arrival of the snow! They were showing images of schools being shut down everywhere, along with roads being closed and cars stuck in their driveways. It's a hard image to conjure as I sit here typing with the sun shining in the window. In fact it's so bright out that I had to close the curtain in order to see the computer monitor!
The town itself is a flat agricultural area, but the mountains aren't too distant. It is surrounded by some very Kamloops-like hills, which provide a nice scenic contrast to the flat lands. Close by, there is an active farm park known as Wither Hills.
It is a area that provides a network of trails up into the yellowed hills, and the paths range from easy walks to sweat-inducing treks. I've visited the area several times, and I have to say that while it's no mountain range, it's a welcome break from the level sidewalks of the city. There is plenty of livestock to encounter while trudging up along the ridges, and one can behold some beautiful views of the ocean or far-off snow-capped mountains.
I treasure the times I get to go walking through Wither Hills, as it provides me with some alone and quiet time. Time in which I really get to appreciate the world around me, and marvel in the beauty that can be found in all types of landscapes.
Because it is a working farm area, walkers usually find themselves amidst herds of immovable cattle. At one point, I ended up trudging through some impressive piles of cow dung, all the while cringing under the unblinking stare of the stand-offish creatures.
Along the last half of one of my walks, I could see two lone cattle grazing further up the path. I thought that maybe they would be friendly, and would accept some proffered grass from my hand.
Wrong. The first cow barely acknowledged my
presence. Still pulling at the ground, he stared at me with a big red-rimmed eye, which lolled around lazily in his head.
I moved on to the second and more cute cow of the two, hoping to make a somewhat smelly friend. In spite of looking more sweet than his white friend, this black beast looked at me as if I were the tastiest piece of grass on the planet. His stare and stance almost convinced me that had he more than a cow's brain, he would have been contemplating charging and eating me.
Much of the farm park is filled with benches that are perched along especially scenic parts of the path. Many of these benches are adorned with plaques that speak of the lives of those who are no longer with us.
After I finish the mountains of cleaning that I do each day, I often try to occupy myself by learning to cook or bake new food items. It's tough to really get fancy, as food is expensive here, and it would just cost too much to always be purchasing new ingredients.
I have made several items though, and so far I've mostly enjoyed success in the way they've turned out. I do need to get a bit more cozy with the use of spices though, as I'm finding some of the cooking to be a bit bland.
I can't remember everything I've made, but below are some of the items I've recently cooked or baked. (with the words "cooked" and "baked" being completely subjective) As is evident, I am not a pro photographer, so some items don't really look edible or at all appetizing in the pictures.
Mixed Berry and Apple Crumble... YUM
Smoked Chicken, Kumara and Corn Chowder Soup... again YUM
Scottish Flapjacks. The picture doesn't do them justice, but they are a tasty filling little treat. Great for lunches and snacks.
Zingy Lemon Crunch and Vanilla Semifreddo - a chilled treat perfect for eating near the warm fire
Southern Style Frittata - a casserole type dish consisting of potatoes, eggs, and lots of veggies
Dessert Crepes - making the crepe shells was easy enough, and I filled these ones with chocolate, bananas, brown sugar and cinnamon
Sirloin and Spinach Salad - just my own creation. Sirloin with asparagus, yellow peppers and tomatoes over a bed of spinach, topped with balsamic vinegar
Pear and Ginger Cake with Maple Glaze - too bad the custard I was making to go with it refused to thicken properly!
I even attempted to make sushi the other night! It was actually quite an enjoyable experience, and even though my rolls looked a bit like they had been created by a sushi chef who had lead weights for fingers, they tasted quite good. It was a rare treat, as the sushi here in NZ is never fresh and just can't compare to back home. Being a Vancouverite, I consider old and expensive sushi the worst kind of crime, and if I had my way, the sushi makers here would be jailed and forced to watch endless boring videos of how sushi SHOULD be prepared!
I've decided that I will be working in some vineyards starting on Monday. I will be wrapping and tying old plants. Thus far I'm not exactly certain what it entails, but I believe it has something to do with wrapping old vine remains around the plant stem. It will be a welcome break from managing the hostel every day, and a chance for me to get outside more and see some of the countryside!
New Zealand Fact of the Day:
New Zealand is known as a "Plastic Nation." Almost all transactions are made with a card. The debit card system here is called EFTPOS, so when I ask to pay by "Debit" they look at me like I'm speaking in an alien language. Apparently NZ was one of the first nations to use this system.
