To start i'll have the "hitch-hike", then i'd like the "job" to follow, oh and can I get a side of "Accommodation" .... Cheers Bro!

So yeah, how fate changes, and at the best of times, having pretty much run my money dry in Queenstown it was a no-brainer but to up & leave.... although when you're "SKINT AS BRO" it's not gonna be easy to get to the "next destination" i'd planned on heading north, Nelson/Blenheim via Christchurch (Heavier traffic flow). and indeed they all say NZ is the safest place to hitch.

Having started decidedly late to Hitch, packing my bag at 12pm almost 4 hours after the usual "8am headoff" of usual travellers, backpackers and general vagabonds, I'd finally got my stuff together, and met up with Irish for a quick goodbye and (Toast & jam... no  butter) and a pack of instant noodles for the journey...ahhh good friends are hard to come-by. Luckily one of her friends was heading to Queenstwon airport that day, so having grabbed a lift in the mini van I jumped out in Frankton, where all the main roads out of Queenstown start from.

Being slightly geographically retarded, (despite having the map) I was hitching to Christchurch (Sign in hand) on the "south road" only headin to "Invercargill" when two other hitchers kindly pointed it out that I was indeed on the wrong road, and that was probably why I was having no luck.... I mean who could resist picking up me... charming smile.... witty banter and well i'll leave the rest up to you.

Finally slogging up the highway onto the correct road, I'm stood sign in hand for about 1 hour and half... in the blazing sun, untill finally a farmer on his way back up the road offers me a lift, "only 10km down the road son, is that alright?" ..."hey if it's creating a bigger distance between here and Queenstown, and getting me closer to the North, who can complain!". So I jump in, finding despite being an old-timer he'd done a fair amount of travelling in his younger years, and thought well upon my intentions, and as I say he dropped me off 10km down the road. saying cheerio, and with the option that if I was still stood there on his way back into town I could spend the night, I get the sign back out, luckily this time being stood on a well-used Hitch hiking spot. I'd only been waiting a mere 5 minutes before i'm picked up by "Dallas, and Carl" who're on their way via "Cromwell-where you wanna be heading if you're going up to Christchurch" back home to "Clyde" again getting chatting about my intentions in New Zealand, how long i'd been here, what i'd been up to etc and of course with the usual, "bloody pommy" here and there (all in good humour). As it was getting rather late by this time, 6pm they offer for me to spend the night at theirs, (by the state of the car.... the work wagon) I assume that a night's stay in a rough & tumble house couldn't be frowned upon, certainly beats sleeping on the roadside which I guess I would've ended up doing. We arrive at the shack..... well it's more like a bloody millionaire's pad, with several bedrooms, all mod cons, open plan kitchen/diner sun deck, balcony, not to mention the gym, and table tennis room... I'd certainly hit lucky for the night.

We head on over to the old post office, which has been done-up into a fantastic pub/restaurant with a great beer garden, we soon let the alcohol flow, and start contemplating the imminant outbreak of WWIII, what with all the uprisings in Egypt, and Bahrain...(still clued up on world affairs don't worry, i'm not that ignorant). only when it comes to my plans up north and their upturned noses at me wanting to go Fruit picking (which i've still no qualms about), they advise me it's not well paid, and that I'd be better working for them for a while....So I take them up on that offer, not wanting to waste good chances, who knows when the next opportunity such as that will arise, so what with great accommodation, the guarantee of some work for a month or so it couldn't be better....well the fact that i'm now learning to drive for free also...maybe it just did!

A day-trip to Dunedin to explore a bit more of New Zealand was fantastic, we acomplished some work commitments, a trip to the dentist, and a beer on the beach, White sand, blue sea's and waves a surfer would get overly excited about. (see picture).

So what's the job? I hear you wondering as you're reading this, well: I'm currently working for "ironwood timbers" (www.ironwood.co.nz) in a nutshell, we recycle old Australian hardwood, taken from bridges that we demolish, old telegraph poles and wherever there may be some old timber, we buy this wood, do it up and then sell it on to individuals, businesses and whatnot for use in housing etc, it's a pretty high-end luxury item and only 2 people do this kind of work in the whole of New Zealand, (our company being one of them) and therefore reflects in the price, you pay for what you get, and you certainly get an individual piece of timber, with character, history and a design like no other (As each piece is unique). we also build bridges too.

So Mum and Opa, I know after all the time we've spent together over the years of me grumbling & occasionally groaning over DIY, you'll both be pleased to know i'v e donned the gloves, the hard boots, and ear-muffs and getting my hands dirty. It's really physical, but working outdoors surrounded by mountains and brilliant sunshine, who can complain. oh an extra brownie points coming my way from mum.... Yup I rewired and fixed up an old wood buffer, so when you taught me how to rewire a plug etc.... it did sink in, even if it appeared at the time to have fallen on deaf ears.

So having updated about a weeks worth for you after having finished work for the weekend, i'll keep you updated of the goings on etc,

all the best from "Downunder" x