Peon's Progress

Rain has kept me out of the orchard for the second time this week, so I thought a general update on life in Roxburgh might be in order. Apple thinning is going well. Although we get paid by the tree and I do not move particularly quickly, we are guaranteed minimum wage and we work plenty of hours per week, so I've made a tidy sum already. The first week was a challenge, but since then my body has adjusted to the schedule. Seasonal work has a reputation for being physically demanding, but apple thinning has to be among the least so. You're not required to carry anything apart from the ladder, and your speed depends more on hand-eye coordination and dexterity than on muscle strength. I was skeptical about my fitness for the first few days, but now I'm planning to stay in Central Otago through January for the cherry harvest, which is apparently quite lucrative.

Apart from the massive quantity of working holidaymakers I've met here, there is a group of workers from Vanuatu who come here annually for the same reason. Much like Caribbean workers in Niagara's vineyards, these guys have specific seasonal work visas that allow them to work from November to April. They work an exhausting schedule, but they joined in a big game of soccer last Sunday (everybody's day off). It was fun listening to them talk, as their language mixes in intelligible pieces of English, Spanish, and French. When they asked for a substitute, they would say something like, “Wanagum? Wanagumplay?” I also heard quite a few double syllables, a trait that Pacific languages seem to share (Maōri does it too). The sound “bilim bilim” came up frequently, though I'm not sure what it means. It was a nice treat to interact with them, because we working holidaymakers speak of the “Vanuatus” as the standard for excellence in seasonal labor. They work from 7-5:30 for 6 days, and rumors of their speed are always making their way around the hostel. Naturally this means we have little chance to talk with them, since they're always working, cooking, or sleeping – unless it's Sunday.

My current job ends next week, so the Christmas holidays will play host to my next little adventure – Wanaka. I had numerous ideas about my first Christmas away from my family, but Wanaka comes well-recommended from my coworkers. It's not as touristy or as busy as Queenstown, but it is gaining a reputation for its New Year's festivities. I'll be staying there for a while, but there's plenty to do in Wanaka – it's on the shores of Lake Wanaka, close to Mount Aspiring National Park, and developing a range of high-adrenaline activities in the shadow of New Zealand's adventure capital, Queenstown. This will also be my first time in the Southern Alps, the mountain range that runs the length of the South Island. Limiting myself to Wanaka rather than visiting Southland (my other idea) will also allow me to get back to Central Otago fairly quickly after the holidays, increasing my chances of landing a job harvesting cherries. 

Downtown Roxburgh. Don't blink.

Playing the gee-tar down by the Clutha river.