So the snow has finally begun to melt, and everything seems to have died down a little bit. The hardcore winter people have either left, or are leaving, making way for a new, and seemingly equally eager group of summer sports enthusiasts. The same cars and vans that had boards and skis attached to the roof racks are now sporting an assortment of mountain bikes, kayaks, wakeboards and windsurfing gear. It’s a gradual change, but it’s definitely an obvious one.
While all this has been happening, I too have been going through the motions. At first I threw myself into boarding, giving myself objectives and goals I wanted to reach. Then the snow started to turn to slush, but I hung on by my fingernails, not allowing myself the room to consider what this place is like without it. Then, the last day comes, the lifts close and I sulk as we drive down the long dirt road away from the mountain one last time.
Goodbye Winter…
Now lets get a tan!
I have to admit I am really looking forward to some warm weather. The weather is still quite muddled, cold then hot, rainy then dry, but at least the warm is starting to become really warm, and the New Zealand sun BURNS!!!
“Daisy”
One day, on my way back from the mountain, I saw a sign along the side of the road that read “Lambs for Sale $20”… well I’m sure you can imagine where this is going. So that day I took home Daisy the lamb. He, yes he, was only a week old, and smelled really bad, so I went to the shop and bought him everything he needed, milk, a bottle, made him a run in the back yard, and even bathed him. Mike and I both miss having a dog, so little Daisy seemed perfect. Unfortunately he passed away two days later… and we were heartbroken! We can only assume he hadn’t received the necessary nutrients from his mother, and was just too weak. Oh well.
Daisy R.I.P.
SUMMER
This post will be much more of a summary than any of the others, as I’m going to try and back-track from about November to the present, without being droning or overly-analytical.
So the snow’s gone, the lake is still stupidly cold, and apart from throwing myself into work, I started exploring what else there is to do around this amazing place. We’ve been wakeboarding in the lake, off-roading in trucks, rafting through some amazing gorges with awesome rapids, and surfing a lot down on the southern coast. The most notable experience was surfing in Curio Bay, at the bottom tip of the South island, in warm waters, comparable to the Mediterranean in the spring, with Hector Dolphins riding the same waves, and small yellow-eyed penguins waiting for us on the beach! Even the sea lions and fur seals provided good entertainment as they waddled along the beach with their awkward-looking hind feet (flippers) stumbling along, until they started to become very territorial, and sprinted straight at you with jagged jaws wide open, panting like an old man on respiratory support! Scary…
As I write this in the airport, about to leave New Zealand to travel to Greece to play hockey and visit my family and friends, there are several things going through my mind. More introvert thoughts that I’d like to share…
Its so refreshing to be in a place where the security officers on the X-ray machines actually ask you how you are, and if you’ve had a good stay, without the creepy white medical gloves on, like they’re ready to give you a cavity search. Just a small sample of the quality of life in this far-away land, which is both ahead of the curve on matters of technology and economics, but systematically backwards in all the right places. Farmers with short shorts, truck drivers with mullets, sheep literally everywhere, and a people that’s more concerned with how many lamb shanks they’ve got on the bbq, than any petty political squalor. The music scene in this country is so indicative of their way of life, and whether you like it or not, you end up happily slipping into the grooves of all the dub and reggae so prominently displayed in every park and at every festival, year-round. It goes along with the calm, but driven lifestyle people enjoy here, balancing between prosperity, and taking the time to set targets like climb a mountain, or surf a giant wave, or build a rope swing off a bridge, without dying…
I must say, I do miss the hectic environment of a big city, being over-stimulated by all the lights, sounds and colours, so I’m glad to be jumping back into it for a bit. But the thought of returning to this place is like eating an amazing meal, and having the most delicious desert waiting for me at the end.
I’ve made a lot of good friends here, people I can trust, and have fun with, but no matter what I do I always miss my family and friends back home, so again, big smiles to be seeing them again.
I feel that this experience has changed me, brought me more in touch with nature, and with myself. I understand more about what I enjoy, and what kind of outlets I need to have to stay happy and sane. At least for now…
I’ve been learning how to use Final Cut Pro, a powerful video editing software, and have produced a feature length season-film with mike, under our new production label of “Themistobox Productions”. The DVD is available to order exclusively from our distributors, Mike and Cles Inc. So get yours while supplies last… hehe
I’ve also been playing the ukulele a lot, building up to playing some live shows when I get back, maybe some open mic nights, which should provide for some good laughs, if nothing else.
Finally I’ve also been learning a lot about photography, mostly through practice, on the job, but some extracurricular exploring as well. Unfortunately my small snap-shot camera kicked the bucket a few weeks ago, so I’ve had to spend extra time playing around with the awesome SLR’s at work… oh well
Throughout the time I’ve spent here I’ve learned a lot about myself as well. I’ve had time to reflect on what’s brought me here, so far from everything I grew up around, but also all the decisions I’ve made, and continue to make along the way. Some good decisions, some bad decisions, some questionable and some regrettable. But I’ve also learned that moving on is an important part of life, and hindsight is always a lot clearer than looking ahead. And just when you thought this couldn’t get any cheesier, I’d just like to say: Life is what you make of it, and I finally feel like I’m making something special out of mine. I’ve never had a smile on my face so consistently for such a long period of time, and that really tells me I’m doing the right thing…
To everyone in QT, I’ll miss you. To all my family and friends… I hope this finds you in good health, and happiness, and I look forward to seeing you all soon!
X x X x Cles
Bonno... Uncle Themi loves you!
This was our day out at the airport. Being institutionalized can have its perks...
The text is a quote from a Propaghandi song:
