［爱钮记］Cromwell

八月,身在cromwell,传说的Cherry 之都,但我们来到却不是接触樱桃,取而代之的却是葡萄

The life in South begin, we found out we love Cromwell so much since the scenery in vineyard is beautiful and it is near to Wanaka and Queenstown, although i hope to work in Wanaka hospitality which could provide me work visa, but maybe I have not luck enough at this area, I hope could complete and experienced one day in hospitality by woofing. Also Farming life.. hehe

30th July 2013 is the new start LIFE in New Zealand

This day, we finally found a job in vineyard. After a few weeks of job hunting and traveling we can confirm to settle down in Cromwell. Although at the middle in settling down I had received a lot of call from previous contacted, and struggling about where to go. At last, decided to staying tgt with PHorng and we both could work together and live together. This is the best decision, we both thinking.

Let's talk about the job we working now, Vineyard. We are under a contractor Gary, it is really such a good benefit working here,pay by hourly which is different with others vineyard if working in Winter  Pruining, minimum wages which is $13.75 before tax, minimum 40 hours a week, 8 hours a day, you can choose to work or not work in Saturday, even you can choose to work for full and half day if you working in Saturday and most important is they provide 8% Holiday pay, which I never met for my previous contractor.

The work in Vineyard is not difficult, but the only things that tochering is the morning temperature in vineyard is freezing, especially the moment you getting up from bed. You will never want to jump up from bed unless meeting the last second of your alarm ringing. The two main job sheet I current working on was Trimming and Tying down.

They are not though to do for, Trimming is just to cut out those extra little cane growing out from beside the grape boot, and Tying down is to wrap the cane on the wire and tied it with paper tie. This action is the common contract base that usually count by cane, but for us is count by hourly..hiak hiak, so that we wont feeling stressful to be fast fast fast, but they have supervisor to supervise of your speed and schedule on work. Base on my experience on kiwi Pruning, hourly is much more relax compare with contract.

After two weeks living in Cromwell, although of everyday is not much changing, but I found out that I love the life now.. is just two word to describe the current lift---RELAX n ENJOY. We sleep and wake early everyday, I always found out new recipe, New World (新世界) is the shopping mall for us and I like bringing back the catalogue compare the price and thinking what to buy during coming shopping day. Thursday is the salary day and shopping day and also paying rental day. Recording expenses everyday is one of My task, the only target of the week is to NOT over budget of our food spend. Sunday is the only off day for us and it is also our cleaning day and outing day :) We can travel to Queenstown and Wanaka whenever we want to and without living there.. because our home is just between this two adorable city.

11.8.2013--We went to Wanaka last week, we went to Treble Cone, but not for ski, just for see the snow.. Yes, we enjoy playing the snow so much although without skiing, but we didn't saw Snowing just Raining, Haiz, I was too excited to see the bad weather when I checking the weather cast. After that we go back to Wanaka town and meet up with Zoe and Debbie, friends from Hong Kong and they was the first batch friends since we arrived NZ. We chat a lot sitting in Cafe that Debbie called it The Best Coffee and eating Wages, chatting for three hours about everything.. haha.. how enjoyable.

18.8.2013--It is the first action on Spring. One day, during I driving to work with the others girls, I found out the Cherry trees beside the road we pass by everyday has flowering with some pink little white flower, it look like plum blossom but it actually is not... It is an early spring for this year, and this situation has show out the weather in this earth are getting abnormal and starting warm and warm. I heard a host told us that before this year, there is no Fan at this country at all even in summer, but starting this year there selling Fan in the supermarket...

230813--The weather obviously changing to spring...first is every morning temperature no more 2 degree instead is 5-9 degree. second the flower is start to open now,third is getting earlt to sun rise and geyting late to sun set, 1630 sun set,  gradually change to 1730 and now 1800 not even finish darken.

280813--It will be SNOW today, showing in my weather forecast...In fact, we cant manage to saw it.. because it was snow in the night time. But the good news for us is, we will have a good snow condition when we ski this sunday~

01091--SKI, It's our ski mission day today~ We booked package the night before coming, it cost us 122NZD per person include full day ski ticket and two lesson and also include beginner lift pass. Before make this booking Horng saw another discount on book me for Snow Farm Park, it just cost 60 per person, but we chose Cardona finally and we not regret.. i cant compare which one is better but the things i can tell is Cardona is really suitable for beginner and have a lesson here. The only thing we feel unfulfilled is we unable to get up the chair and ski from hill. We can't learnt fast in the lesson, and the time we caught the technique of ski is too late for us to get up the hill... HAIZ, but we promise we cant forget the technique of ski.. and Ski again next time, most possible wont be in NZ.. haha

Before going to ski, we purposely went to the Cherry farm which take three min from Cromwell, the reason we doing this is because I really want to take pictures of this phenomenon.. The frozen blossom of Cherry tree. They flush to water and met the cold temperature to get this effect. For my own opinion, they doing this might because the spring is coming too early to harvest the cherries so they frozen the flower to slow down the speed of harvest.

040913-- Hailing today, I have sick for two day after ski... I worked 6 hours on Monday, and 2 hours yesterday. I rest for long time is because I know if I not resting it will get more serious and I will lost more hours of work. And one more thing is we have to take care ourself to not let our family worried about us. But the weather don't help me at all, it became bad weather during my recovery day, I worked for two hours today ONLY. After back to home i found out Horng haven't come back they still working in Torr, so I request to work more, but I really go bad luck, one I reached Torr it starting Hail, I still feeling exciting... although it was not SNOW.

060813-- Pete, the English guy last day today, he is a friend join the group in the same day with us, he is funny and sincere.. I like him so much. He is special guy, he live in his little van to save money because he wanna celebrate his birthday in Queenstown and spend all the money earn from vineyard. He post a pic of Lowburn lake with caption of "This is my home", and a pic of vineyard describe with "This is my office".. I was LOL when saw this caption... is absolutely correct!

-snow,the melting mountain

110913--Today is our last day in Vinewise, it is a supprise news for us as we thought we will finish work at the end of the week, but today is Wednesday...We got our notice of fire in this morning. We both know what is the reason we get discharged, that's why we din't grumble any things to the boss. It is a memorable day for me as it is the first time I get discharge.

120913--The Picnic today probably is because of us leaving soon, but we din't expect to leave one day early then the picnic. It is lovely day, everyone cook their country food here and share together during lunch time. Although we not working today but we attended the Picnic. We took the group photo with the girls and also the precious group photo..And the last photo in vineyard

160913-- We done! We done sky diving today. It was so so amazing. It is unbelievable the moment jump out from aeroplane and after jump you are falling! The feeling of falling just like FLY. The most best moment in the sky is during the free fall of 20 sec.. To save money we decided not to spend 150 bugs to get the video and photos, although the memories still fantastic.


The target for me in this town is TO SEE THE SNOW, and SKI. Sub Target would be bungy koweara and sky dive Wanaka. Hope to reach this few targets, and hopefully I able to post the experience on here :)

And now we left the town, the target just achieve two... SKI and Sky Diving.