A Very Milford Christmas

Good day to all my beloved blog readers and Merry Christmas!

Here in Milford, we don't have fun things like snow and ice to play with so we have to make up our own fun. As a result, the people working the Blue Duck Pub came up with a fun plan which was for all the different businesses here in Milford to have their own Christmas parties with fun dress-up themes. We shared our Christmas party with Mitre Peak Lodge and Cruise Milford. The lodgies' theme was Angels and Devils while Cruise Milford's theme was The Future. The future, Conan? Yes, all the way to the Year 2000.

This is Hana from German making her Angel costume. Sophie (from Christchurch) had angel wings left over from a Halloween costume. It had blood on it so Hana had to cover the red marks with white cotton balls.


Jamie, from England made some delicious potato wadges for dinner that night and we dined and laughed. Ha ha ha ha! But I can't remember what we laughed about.


Jamie deceived us and told us that he wasn't going to go to the party, which made us say things like, "What?!?" But then, after disappearing in his room for an hour, he appeared again having covered his entire body with red paint. This is my second picture of him. The first one was taken in front of a red wall and you could hardly see him.


Ben (who is my boss and is from Holland) went as some kind of angel shaman person who wears one of those things that my sister used to hang over her bed as a cape and some white snow boots.


Here, Barbara (from England) is looking very angel-y.


Rowan, also from England, was some kind of X-Men 70s angel.


Matice, from Slovenia (which I challenge you to find on a map), went as a cool, muscular devil.


And I went as a scary transvestite playboy bunny devil with a black tail you can't see in this picture.


But you can in this one. It is made of a rolled-up laundry bag with rubber bands around it. I used some bent wire for my head band and adhered cardboard horns to it with staples and tape. The horns were originally black, but I made them red so they didn't look like ears as much.



On Christmas Eve, I worked behind reception and I spread Christmas cheer with a blinking Santa pin and hat that stood up on end. I told people it was held up like that by the sheer magnitude of my Christmas cheer. Then, when they felt the newspaper I stuffed inside it, I told them that Christmas cheer is dry and crumply. That night the Blue Duck Pub had Karaoke night, at which I sang The Alabama Song by The Doors, wearing the same hat, but I didn't get any pictures of it on my camera. :(


On Christmas Day, I woke up with surprise to find that Santa had visited us the night before. We received a nice card, a chocolate Santa, a voucher for more Internet, and a bottle of Fiordland Savignon Blanc.


On Christmas Day, all the lodgies had a secret Santa gift exchange. Here Barbara is receiving the graphite drawing of a Fiordland Yellow Crested Penguin I drew for her.



On Christmas Day Night, Red Boats (aka Southern Discoveries) Cruises hosted a free Christmas party for everyone. This is the Spirit of Milford Cruise ship that the party was on.


Here is what the party looked like on the back of the ship on the second floor. There was a keg and wine for us to drink. FREE!!!


We at a delicious and glutenous buffet followed by a candy chocolate ball fight. The old cranky woman who works for one of the other cruise companies looked as if she was annoyed by the candy ball fight. I was worried she was going to yell at everyone. Then I saw her secretly snatch a chocolate ball from her table. I was thinking there was no way.... then she threw it! It was awesome!!!


The Cruise ship party ended at midnight so the Milford Lodge staff building hosted an after party. Here you can see some festive people dancing around our gigantic Christmas tree.


So that is what we did on Christmas in Milford. I hope everyone else's Christmas was wonderful too! :)

Sunny Hike to Bowen Falls

Like my first day off, my last day off included a hike to Bowen Falls. This one was better because it was a perfectly sunny day. Check out my photos!!!


Can you find Rowan in this picture?


In my other blog post, I didn't get any pictures of the Bowen River so here is one now! You have to hike along the river over these large boulders for part of the way. Rowan has a triumphant pose and Shelly is wishing she had longer legs to help negotiate all the rocks.


This day was sunny and dry so when we got to the top of the falls, it wasn't slippery like it was the last time so I felt safe enough to stand up and have Rowan take his photo of me. The gaters make my legs look shorter!


Rowan and Shelly enjoying the view.


It is difficult to figure out where to position yourself in this picture without blocking something beautiful!


Since it wasn't slippery, I was able to get closer to the falls so I could get a view of the bottom.


What I didn't know the first time I reached the top of the falls was that there is a secret trail that goes up, around, down and then leads to a cave. From the cave, you can get a better view of the falling water with the fiord in the background.


The hike to the cave is very steep and treacherous, but it is well worth it.

That's all for now. I hope all is well :)

Queenstown

I am still trying to catch up on what I did during my last vacation. I have another post after this one believe it or not!
I don't have any pictures of the trip to Queenstown because I slept the entire way. We hitched a ride on a Real Journeys tour bus that had a bunch of free seats. The bus driver told some really bad jokes that no one got because they were all Korean tourists. We weren't supposed to tell them our seats were free so I came up with a story that we were kings so we got to ride for free.


The hostel we stayed at was called "Bumbles." I was hoping the person working there would be wearing black and yellow striped cloths with a glittery antenna hair band thingy, but was I disappointed to find that she was just wearing regular cloths.


We ate at the famous Fergburger and then proceeded to hit the bars at 8:00 pm. We first went to this place called Flux Delux which was having a trivia night. Rowan, Philipe, and I formed a team. We did pretty well in the first three or four rounds, but went down hill from there, fast. This photo was taken at the second bar we attended, called Buffalo. They had two for one jagger bombs there, but I didn't do any because I'm a good boy... oh wait, who put that picture on here?!? Oops.


Then we went to World Bar where one can buy teapots full of booze. Here rowan has two for himself. I just drank Mountain Dew.


And much dancing ensued. ThE eNd.

P.S. At about 2am, the DJ's computers screwed up and a dance floor full of people was left with no music to dance to. They then became rowdy and within 15 minutes, about 3/4 of the bar patrons were gone. Lesson to learn: if you are a DJ, make sure your computers have some special backup thingy so that the music doesn't stop for extended time periods.

Gunn's Camp

After hiking to the top of Bowen Falls, Barbara and I had some extra time in the day so we decided to go to Gunn's Camp.


Gunn's Camp is located back up over the pass and through the tunnel from Milford. You then take Hollyford Rd, which is a dirt road, to get there. There were two reasons why I wanted to go there. The first reason is because I needed to go there to buy my super secret Christmas presents for my family. The second reason was because when I work night reception at Milford Lodge and we fill up all our camper van spots, and millions of people show up without a reservation looking for a place to park their vans and campers for the night, and I have to tell them "Sorry we are full," to which they reply, "can't I just park in the parking lot?" to which I reply, "no because we are full," to which they reply, "is there any other place we can stay?" And I reply, "no, unfortunately we are the only place you can stay in Milford." Then they ask me if they can stay in the parking lot again, which I say no again. Then they ask me why there are open spots in the parking lot to which I reply, "those spots are reserved for people who are staying in rooms." Then they ask me where the nearest place they can camp is, and I tell them they can try Gunn's Camp. After I tell them they have to drive 45 minutes to get there, back up over the pass, and through the tunnel, they ask me again whether they can just park in the parking lot. I then say no for hopefully the last time, at which point millions of people have formed a line waiting to talk to me. I then say, "Can I help who's next?" and the next person in line asks me if there is a place they can park their camper. Can you tell I have bitter feelings towards people who think they can waltz into Milford at 8:00 pm and are surprised when the only place they can stay for the night is full?

Needless to say, the people who run Gunn's Camp are very nice to us not only because they are nice people, but because we give them so much business.


This is one of the cabins you can rent for the night. They are very simple and everything smells like the fire in the fireplace smell that I love so dearly.


Here is one of the stoves that keep you warm at night. Each cabin has one. Apparently, this is one of the newest ones they have. The other ones must be made of stone!


The cabins are very small and plain. I was in love. The hot water heater in the shared bathroom was heated by burning logs. I don't know what that evil red thing hanging on the wall was, but it had all these blasphemous symbols on it!


There is a short hike you can take to this vista where you can see a waterfall. I guess I'm so used to seeing so many waterfalls in Milford that I need to do things to entertain myself more.

Tune in next time, children when I share my experience in Queenstown. Our word of the day will be "Zerb," which is brought to you by the letter "V.'"

Bowen Falls Hike

Hello Everyone,

On Monday, my friend/coworker, Barbara, and I hiked to the top of Bowen Falls. It is a trail that no one outside of people who frequent and/or live in Milford know about, so it isn't really defined. At times, it is easy to lose the trail and start walking in random directions in the forest only to come to realize that you have only been following what looked like a trail, but wasn't one. I think it is a good thing that tourists don't know about this hike as it can get dangerous at times.

The hike is really fun, though. You walk through the rainforest through a lot of moss-covered rocks, trees, and ferns. You also climb up the mountain, which can get a little steep and slippery at times. Luckily some generous people have fixed ropes to help you along some of the steepest portions of the trail.


Here I am posing in front of a small falls in a stream along the way.


Not all of the hike is pristine rainforest, unfortunately. A large portion of it includes walking along a pipeline. This pipeline gets water from the Bowen river, which runs over the mountain and down into Milford where it hydrates the residents who work at the pub/restaurant/bar, and cruise lines. Water from this pipeline is also used to generate electricity for the town. Special note: we at the Lodge get our water from a well, not from this pipeline.


Eventually, the pipeline gets so steep that it has planks of wood on top with a rebar hand rail for those worried about falling.


This plank path leads to this rickety ladder which allows you to clime down to the Bowen River (not pictured).


I don't think this waterfall has a name, but it is really beautiful. This is the waterfall over which the water falls before it goes over Bowen Falls.


Here I am posing in front of it. I think this picture may need to be my professional picture that I put on my portfolio website... or maybe just my Facebook profile picture. I just wish I wasn't wearing my raincoat around my waist.


This is a picture of the view from up on top of the 160 meter high waterfall. It is difficult to make out, but you can see how tall the waterfall is. There is a path that leads down the waterfall a ways so you can get a view of the falling water with the sound. We didn't go down there because it was really wet that day and everything was really slippery. We didn't want to risk our lives just for a beautiful picture.


Can you imagine the view could get better than this? Well it can! I ended up hiking back there on my last day off when it was perfectly sunny and clear and got some even better pictures. I will post those soon.

Toodles

A Light-hearted Trip to Dunedin

Salutations to all!

On my four days off, Rowen, Philipe, Nina, and I went on a road trip to Dunedin which is located on the east coast of the south part of the South Island. All was gay and merry while on the road. I have pictures to prove it. Here they are:

We commandeered a 1943 Toyota Corolla we borrowed from a friend named Sarah. I would guess it is 6.23 horsepower with five gears and a break pedal that was probably borrowed from a riding lawnmower. This car could not accelerate up even the smallest hill! We made many stops for beautiful pictures. In this particular beautiful picture, Rowen is making believe he is a hitchhiker, a super cool hitchhiker. I also took a picture too.

And here it is. Doesn't it remind you of the logo of that one film company where the lightening bolt laser-beams down onto the car or road or something??? This is a good lesson in perspective. How many kinds of perspective can you name, students?


Just to make sure, Officers, I was wearing my seat belt. My faux hawk was also helping steer the car.


We stopped at Te Anau Downs because this awesome vista punched us right in the face.


We stayed at a hostel in Dunedin called "Hogwartz." This is a picture of our room which had four beds (none of them bunks) and our own sink. It was very very excellent. Note to the future backpacking traveler: travel in groups of four. That way you pay the same price as everyone else, but you usually can get your own room (because rooms are often "quads"). Note to the future sesquipedalian: "quad" means four, so a 'quad' has four beds in it. Beds you sleep in.


This is the hostel owner...

uhhimm!!! Excuse me (I had something in my throat)

owner'ses dog. It would put on a miniature visor and do the taxes.


Speaking of Hogwartz, doesn't this building look like something out of Harry Potter!?! Well you're wrong! It is actually the Dunedin train depot. It is designed in the Flemish Renaissance style, which does not mean that it is covered in mucus, but rather bricks– bricks that were quarried from the Otago peninsula. I heard that the depot is haunted, but then I realized that it was myself telling myself that.



Here is what the inside looks like. It was so busy in there that I was almost swept off my feet by the busy mob. Just kidding, it was deserted. Students, how many kinds of perspective do you seen in this photo?



For breakfast the next morning, we went to this cafe called "Governors," which I had fun saying the way ignorant Americans think that the English accent sounds (to Rowen and Nina's entertainment).


When I was directed to the bathroom up the stairs, I was about to take a bath when I realized that the tub was actually filled with fish. It was a fish aquarium!!!


Later that day, Nina went to go see the new Twilight movie the seventh time while Rowen, Philipe, and I went to the St. Clair Beach with hopes of going surfing. To our dismay, we found that the wind was probably gusting at 60mph creating a monstrous surf that would have murdered us all. It was also way too cold for me to get wet. So we ended up going to the St. Clair salt water pool.


The water was a sizzling 28 degrees, Celcius, which was 8 degrees warmer than the air. This should have registered to me before I payed my NZ$5.50 for admission, but it didn't so I was freezing most of the time. That small pool looked like a hot tub from my view, but was actually a freezing tub that was about two feet deep. Maybe it was a kiddy pool? We all found ourselves using the free goggles they gave us and swimming laps to stay warm.


After swimming we went down to the beach because we wanted to get blown to smithereens by the mutant wind monster and get sand blasted into every orifice we possessed. This picture shows the linear wisps of sand the wind would kick up as it howled by us.


But the dedicated photographers did not waiver. They still took framable pictures of wind-demolished piers like this one.


Later that day, the travelers drove along the Otago peninsula to the tip where one can find the Royal Albatross Center where you have to pay NZ$40 to see a frickin' wild albatross!!! We, on the other hand, felt that free would have been a better price, so we went over to the edge of where unpaid patrons could wonder with hopes of seeing an albatross.


I think I could make one out so I got my money's worth, right??? I could also see another funny New Zealand bird called a "Shag" living on the cliffs. They look kind of like a penguin, but are a flying bird.


Normally, I wouldn't willfully go to a place with "sandfly" in its name (this was called Sandfly Bay), but with the wind being as crazy as it was, I was sure all the sandflies were located in Australia by then, so we were sandfly-free. Warm, on the other hand, we were not.


This is the lighthouse at Nugget Point. It was drizzling by this time, which was a relief because if it were full out raining, we would have died. The wind was blowing rain into us like BBs.


Here is the beautiful view from Nugget Point. For some reason, whenever I hear the word "nugget," I get hungry for Chicken McNuggets. Damn you McDonalds!!! Why must you steel such wonderful words from me!?!?!


This is Purakaunui Falls, which looks kind of like a wedding cake to me. Actually as I write this, everything looks like food because I am so hungry right now. I haven't eaten since breakfast....


Mmmm, cotton candy..............

On the highway before we reached Te Anau, we were hit by a stunning sunset. The sunset was so beautiful that it surrounded us and I couldn't figure out how to give it justice with a mere photograph so I took a video too, but it is too big to upload. Sorry.

And now, I must eat something with melted cheese in it.

Until next time. :)