So after one year of absence (5 days short of a year actually!) I’ve decided to become active again on this blog. Since my three die hard readers have asked for further writing (probably to be polite, but still, thanks you guys!) I’ve decided to write a little story.
There are a number of reasons why I’m writing this now. First of all, I find this period in my life worthy of writing about. In my case this basically means that I find this part worthy of remembering, since I’m more and more finding out that I use this blog for remembering past events. My parents often asked me why I didn’t write much while I was in New Zealand. This is basically due to the fact that I don’t necessarily want to remember everything in detail about that period, in comparison to for instance the vodka train trip, which I still reminisce about every now and then. Seriously, if there is one thing I would recommend to everybody is to do a (primitive-ish) train trip through a country or area that is far away from your comfort zone. I can really go on forever about the trip and why one should do this and even though I would happily do so, that works better on request.
The second reason is that in my opinion things like facebook status-updates or ‘tweets’ just don’t cut it. Even though I get why they are so popular (and yes I do have a facebook and twitter account), they are called mini-blogs for a reason. Agreed, they can be useful new media tools, but for me it is hard to comprehend that a person like Lance Armstrong avoids press conferences but in the meantime ‘announces’ the purchase of a new pair of socks. For me this falls under the ‘WGAS’ category (again, explanation on request). So instead of posting ‘Daniel thinks his experience in Croatia so far beats NZ’ I decided to again post here.
Anyways, as I mentioned, I now live and work (and unfortunately am still studying) in Dubrovnik, Croatia. I started working for Elite Travel last month and so far I’m not regretting moving here. Even though payment is only a fraction of what I could earn back home, there are many reasons for doing what I do. First of all I noticed that a year is pretty much the maximum I can cope with being in the Netherlands without being too annoyed about people. This sounds majorly pessimistic and of course it is just that. However, that is all I will say about it since I did exactly what people over there would tell/ask me when they would have known about my little annoyances (question being; ‘well, why don’t you kindly f*ck off then?’). Obviously this is also not the main reason for going to Croatia. I don’t get to choose my dream job and I first need an opportunity, which I got here (which I am grateful for, given the recession and the fact that all people around me are losing jobs instead of gaining). For me, the timing seemed perfect. I am about to graduate and I am not sure about if, where and which master degree I want to do, plus I can practice my Croatian language skills (or better; lack of them). Hmm, it just crossed my mind that it would be a good test for me to write a blog post in Croatian around this time next year… Will be interesting to see if I’ll manage…
This doesn’t (necessarily) mean that I won’t post back here fore another year, but for now I will leave it at this. I just read back what I’ve just written and I realize that (again) it is not that interesting for other readers but myself. However I’m confident that after a certain period of time posts like this will be a good read for me personally. Let’s find out if I’m right about that…
Monday, July 06, 2009
Monday, July 14, 2008
From everything and some more!
Basically I could start every update nowadays with explaining that I've busy and I've been too lazy to update the blog. So there you go. However much has happened during the passed two months and I'm looking at my last 16 days in New Zealand. I have now finished my internship too and although I still have to spend time finishing a few reports, it is a good feeling. Winter has set in in this part of the world and where most people I know are walking in shirts and shorts I am snowboarding as much as I can. The last time I updated the website when I came back from doubtful sound which was I believe in May, just after my parents left. Best to pick up from then...
I haven't described the Doubtful Sound trip yet but since it's a while back already I'll keep it short. The trip was basically another famil (read freeloaders paradise) for front-office staff. It was a two day trip where we would overnight on a boat in the actual fjord. So we set of at 7 in the morning for a bus trip to the small town of Manapouri where we were loaded on a ferry that would take us to the other side of the lake. This is the only way to get to Doubtful since there is no road connecting it with either Manapouri or Te Anau. The ferry took us to the other side of Lake Manapouri where the famous Manapouri power plant is located. This used to be a prestigious power project that is now in full use (well, has been for quite a few years now). Visiting the plant is part of some trips but wasn't of ours. We were picked up by another coach that would take us towards to boat which was only 40 minutes away. On the boat we were assigned to our dorms and mixed with the paying folks (aka mortals). The rest of the day was pretty eventful too with sea kayaking (and close encounters with dolphins, pretty neat!) swimming in neat freezing water and an all you can eat buffet, still free for us. On top of that there was an open bar which closed at 10 pm (a couple of hours to early). The next day compromised of the trip back with buffet breakfast on the way, two minutes of absolutely nothing (everyone had to shut up and engines were shut off to give the best version of silence I had ever heard, or not heard of course). The rest of the day was the first days trip in reverse so not much to add there.
After this pretty unique trip all went back to normal with work getting boring and slow (off season) and the weather turned nasty. Nothing major happened until I was invited (read: constantly spamming their email from my side) by A.J. Hackett to be part of a bungy famil day. All you 3 die-hard readers of this blog will know that after doing the highest one in Macau I developed a new favorite adrenaline rush which is bungy jumping. I have now done a skydive as well but I still prefer bungy over it (by a long shot!). During this day front line staff across Queenstown is given the chance to do all three jumps in one day. I think I can make a long story short by just showing ze footage:
The first jump of the day was the Kawarau Bridge jump which is the oldest in Queenstown and I believe in the world as well. It's 43 meters high.
Next was the Nevis Highwire Bungy which clocks in at 134 meters, still about 90 meters short of the one I did in Macau (muhaha).
Last but not least is the Ledge jump which is located at the top of the gondola. This jump is unique in the sense that you are only attached to your stomach which creates the chance to run off the platform. It's 47 meters (although 400 meters above Queenstown).
Not soon after the jumps I finished my internship at the Holiday Park (27th of June). Ever since I am passing my time with snowboarding, city trips and planning city trips. I just came back from Dunedin where I watched the All Blacks getting beat by South Africa. I went with Tobi and Nick (ze germans are here! shit!) and met up in Dunedin with Eefje and her boyfriend Laurens who joined us to the game. We were quite lucky to get tickets to the game since originally we would get them off a friend of a friend but two days before the match this all went wrong. The only tickets still available were part of a package where we got to hang out with the local rugby club and get free drinks and food. Not a bad deal. All transportation to and from the stadium was taken care of as well. The came was alright, not great, and New Zealand lost by 2 points which was a bit of an anti-climax. The atmosphere was amazing. It still surprises me that all supporters are mixed up in the stands. Nick was the only one supporting S-A and would surely get a beating if this would be a soccer match. You could say that rugby is more civilized...
Now I'm still recovering from the weekend and planning a trip around the South Island while I still can! This would also mark the third consecutive year where I will celebrate my birthday during a trip (sniff!), but that's all good. I'm quite excited about the whole thing and of course meeting Dave in Melbourne after that. Boy time sure went fast, even though it was all a bit less exciting then the whole China thing (comparing pears with apples I know).
Anywho, I will try to upgrade my blog after the upcoming trip. Oh, don't forget to check out the updated photo album!
Cheerio!
I haven't described the Doubtful Sound trip yet but since it's a while back already I'll keep it short. The trip was basically another famil (read freeloaders paradise) for front-office staff. It was a two day trip where we would overnight on a boat in the actual fjord. So we set of at 7 in the morning for a bus trip to the small town of Manapouri where we were loaded on a ferry that would take us to the other side of the lake. This is the only way to get to Doubtful since there is no road connecting it with either Manapouri or Te Anau. The ferry took us to the other side of Lake Manapouri where the famous Manapouri power plant is located. This used to be a prestigious power project that is now in full use (well, has been for quite a few years now). Visiting the plant is part of some trips but wasn't of ours. We were picked up by another coach that would take us towards to boat which was only 40 minutes away. On the boat we were assigned to our dorms and mixed with the paying folks (aka mortals). The rest of the day was pretty eventful too with sea kayaking (and close encounters with dolphins, pretty neat!) swimming in neat freezing water and an all you can eat buffet, still free for us. On top of that there was an open bar which closed at 10 pm (a couple of hours to early). The next day compromised of the trip back with buffet breakfast on the way, two minutes of absolutely nothing (everyone had to shut up and engines were shut off to give the best version of silence I had ever heard, or not heard of course). The rest of the day was the first days trip in reverse so not much to add there.
After this pretty unique trip all went back to normal with work getting boring and slow (off season) and the weather turned nasty. Nothing major happened until I was invited (read: constantly spamming their email from my side) by A.J. Hackett to be part of a bungy famil day. All you 3 die-hard readers of this blog will know that after doing the highest one in Macau I developed a new favorite adrenaline rush which is bungy jumping. I have now done a skydive as well but I still prefer bungy over it (by a long shot!). During this day front line staff across Queenstown is given the chance to do all three jumps in one day. I think I can make a long story short by just showing ze footage:
The first jump of the day was the Kawarau Bridge jump which is the oldest in Queenstown and I believe in the world as well. It's 43 meters high.
Next was the Nevis Highwire Bungy which clocks in at 134 meters, still about 90 meters short of the one I did in Macau (muhaha).
Last but not least is the Ledge jump which is located at the top of the gondola. This jump is unique in the sense that you are only attached to your stomach which creates the chance to run off the platform. It's 47 meters (although 400 meters above Queenstown).
Not soon after the jumps I finished my internship at the Holiday Park (27th of June). Ever since I am passing my time with snowboarding, city trips and planning city trips. I just came back from Dunedin where I watched the All Blacks getting beat by South Africa. I went with Tobi and Nick (ze germans are here! shit!) and met up in Dunedin with Eefje and her boyfriend Laurens who joined us to the game. We were quite lucky to get tickets to the game since originally we would get them off a friend of a friend but two days before the match this all went wrong. The only tickets still available were part of a package where we got to hang out with the local rugby club and get free drinks and food. Not a bad deal. All transportation to and from the stadium was taken care of as well. The came was alright, not great, and New Zealand lost by 2 points which was a bit of an anti-climax. The atmosphere was amazing. It still surprises me that all supporters are mixed up in the stands. Nick was the only one supporting S-A and would surely get a beating if this would be a soccer match. You could say that rugby is more civilized...
Now I'm still recovering from the weekend and planning a trip around the South Island while I still can! This would also mark the third consecutive year where I will celebrate my birthday during a trip (sniff!), but that's all good. I'm quite excited about the whole thing and of course meeting Dave in Melbourne after that. Boy time sure went fast, even though it was all a bit less exciting then the whole China thing (comparing pears with apples I know).
Anywho, I will try to upgrade my blog after the upcoming trip. Oh, don't forget to check out the updated photo album!
Cheerio!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Doubtful Sound
Just came back from Doubtful Sound, will write something about it soon, and upload some more pictures; but here is one to start with (Panorama shot of Lake Te Anau, composed of 14 seperate pictures)
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