Feeling Bloggy (i'm still here...)

So maybe I should have noticed when every time I spoke to someone they curiously wondered “where are you? Are you home? Are you ever coming home? What are you up to?” as a cue that I was desperately behind in my blog (uhh….i still cringe at this word). Of course I knew this but with every new exciting adventure I knew I was that much more behind…not intentionally starving my “audience” or trying to save some to share in person, but genuinely distracted by all the adventures! Hopefully I’m not making you too jealous. (do remember that most of my days were spent cleaning and working reception.) It’s just that there’s so much to tell! But I’m sure you knew that already. Surely you’ve grown used to my wordy musings on life.

In short, yes, I’m still in New Zealand…now back at my best impression of an elementary school kid on summer vacation. But of course with a more independent, I can do and go anywhere around this place I please! In long, well…this could take a while. I’ve experienced so much over the past 8 months (dear lord…I am behind) and mostly just been having a no-worries, bounce along through the day kinda life! Wow, I’ve never been so stress-free. Really like being a kid again. So much to tell, so much to tell! I keep having all these grand intentions of sitting down and plunking out 20 pages of excitement packed into blog-form, but alas, I keep distracting myself with all these fun adventures and never actually have time to sit still and write them out for public access! “ok…this week I’m just gonna become a recluse and do it all…a big catch-up! What? You want to do a multi-sport race? A hang-glide? Tramping trip? Kayak?” soo…ya…NZ life is not exactly conducive to stationary entertainment. And wow, am I thankful for that. If the day itself does not boast a unique liveliness, there’s always something coming round the corner to get yer spirits revved. Awesome! Sure I keep talking of all this greatness…let’s hear some of it already! Sorry it’s taken so long to put these exciting stories to electronic paper (I do intend to get them all up), but at least know I’m still rockin’ around the world and will be home in November!

So…I finished my work at the YHA almost a month ago (wooah…has it been that long already…jeesh) and have been hanging out with a friend in Dunedin for the past few weeks. It felt quite strange to be packing up my things after I had established my little home in Te Anau. My family and friends there that could always make me laugh and always find something for me to do…and not just work stuff. Haha. Although I did manage to completely decorate the YHA with a special “ryan touch” as I’ve just now decided to call it. During the winter months (yes…please recall that around here june, july, and august have a wintery feel…well…it is winter down under) things steadily slow down at the hostel. People around the town I’d met couldn’t believe I’d be “staying through the winter” as if I had just taken on a task for only the bravest to consider. So yes…it gets quiet, very quiet. One day I was literally the only one in the whole hostel for about 4 hours. Was a bit weird. Pretty sweet though cause I just cranked up the tunes. Also in this tourist hibernation period, I found my go-to source for easing the boredom and picking up those dragging hours of computer screen blues and into creative fun. I had to do something productive and thought “hey! We could use some more recycling signs!”. Mostly because I’m obsessed with recycling and think everyone else should be too. Also helps that the YHA is healthily obsessed and tries to spread the word…Helen may have mentioned a couple of times “hey ry, I have another project if you’re interested?” Helen may now regret ever uttering these words because I went crazy. Any time I had free time in front of the computer I was working away at a new sign. Signs about washing dishes, signs for throwing rubbish in the correct bin, signs in every room about what we can and can’t recycle, signs for the brochure board, signs for the weather board (ya know…to spice it up), signs about water usage, signs for our cleaners and even an entire board I went to town on with recycling scraps and a hot glue gun to inform any interested or lonely, bored person about recycling in 3 dimensional fashion. Come one, come all! to see the faaaantastic Recylce Board of the YHA Te Anau! Our guests may now have spasms screaming “sensory overload! Sensory overload!”, but at least they’ll know all about water conservation and recycling. I also created a new stunning survey box that could surely win an award (ahahaha)…that next month we did have more survey feedback than almost every other YHA hostel though. Ahh yeeeah. So this is what my life consisted of on a work level for the past few months. At least I could get creative in some small way and keep myself spared of tedious boredom, selling one cruise and an internet card all day if I was lucky. Ok, it wasn’t always that bad…

And of course my friendships continued to grow over time and our knack for laughing about strange guests was like an art itself. They unintentionally provide so much material, it’s great! Of course we often provided our own material as well. Tripping over laundry baskets, turning the shower on yourself, spilling coffee grounds everywhere, talking to the evil vacuum cleaner. Hmmm..i just realized that those are all things I’ve done. Haha…ah well. But my friendships with Helen and Ange grew especially close and it was certainly hard to acknowledge that I was off on the travel-trek again. I mean…they’re my kiwi family! On one of my last days, Ange suddenly demanded that it was time for tea. “come on! Morning tea! Yep, out here!” and to my surprise they had a special morning tea for me! Hooray, ryan’s leaving! No more signs! Hahaha. It was so sweet though. Everything vegan! Ange even made a delicious vegan chocolate cake…soo yummy. And everyone brought along other vegan goodies as well…it was so touching. Was great to sit around telling stories, cracking each other up, watching Helen run around in her ski boots she was trying on…haha. That is the thing with my YHA family, they’re all so incredibly cool and funny. Man I’m going to miss them. At the same time it’s great getting on the move again: pack on my back, peanut butter and camera in hand, and a dorm bed to sleep in. Ahhh, backpacker life, here I come.