It seems the post I tried to enter last night has disappeared so I'm slightly upset! I only hope that this one works otherwise I'll be furious!!!!!

I'm living in Roxburgh at the moment which is half way between Invercargill (the very bottom), Dunedin (the Scottish city) and Queenstown (the adventure town).

I left Auckland on Tuesday last week at 8pm on the bus to Wellington. I got there at 6 in the morn so I saw a bit of Wellington before getting the ferry to Picton at 2. I stayed in Picton overnight then travelled to Christchurch on the 10.30am bus. Stayed the night in a hostel in Christchurch where it was three tier bed bunks (this was after the night before in Picton when I had to jump up to the top bunk) Luckily I got on the second tier bed or so I thought - the second one you have to swing round the ladder onto missing the wooden slats in the bottom where the mattress doesn't meet. Joy oh Joy! I also went to the cinema there and saw In my FAthers Den - what a good movie!!! But I was on my own - a wee norm!!!!! I got the bus to Queenstown the next day. I thought the bus left at 10.30 same as the day before. I was so glad I woke up an hour earlier than my alarm at half six and decided to check my home made rota to find the bus left at 7. Therefore I had to pack my bag and grab brekkie is such a hurry that I never washed as I didn't have time. Two days travelling without washing - what a lovely traveller I am :-D On the way to Queenstown it was suggested the easiest way to Roxburgh was to catch the bus a few stops before my intended destination and get another an hour later. So I got off at Cromwell and got a bus to Roxburgh - I was there at 5.30 and in the hostel for 6. Gladly as it was full up with me being last - there is now a waiting list to get in!!!

I am going to write a better description of my work at a later point when I have a bit more time!

I am asking a favour of all of you out there - can you send me a few really good, easy and cheap recipes to do (please include those that don't have milk otherwise I'll be making something for everyone else in the hostel and not myself :-*( )

Going home for a wash before making tea now after my hard days work!!

Play and work - the way it should be

I'm in South Island in Roxburgh now. It is half way between Invercargill (the lowest point), Dunedin (the Scottish City), and Queensland (adventure manic city).

Arrived on Firday night after 4 days travelling so was quite tired. On Saturday and Sunday and Monday I did a few of the walks around the area but saw very little as I couldn't be bothered to be to energetic :-) Monday was also Labour Day here so a day off for everyone. Therefore a bar-be-que was arranged! Lots of Frisbee(which I seem to be ok at I have found out), volleyball, football etc then feeding. Frisbee, football then clean the dishes and laze in front of the TV for the nights viewing. What a good way to spend a holiday -I wish it could be so in Britain because the weather was fantastic to go with it. I also happen to be the only native English speaking girl in the hostel and an Irish guy is the only other native English speaker there. Therefore it's great fun having conversations with everyone altogether.

On tuesday everyone else went to work and myself, Steven (Irish guy) and Fraser (camp hostel manager) lazed in the morning then went to a coffee place in Alexandra (a town about an hour's drive away) and sat there for the afternoon. I did manage to do some cooking in the morning so I now have some food for eating including jelly. It's the little delicacies that you have at home that are amazing to have when staying in a hostel because it's like being given gold!!!!

Today I got up at 6 in the morning to get ready for work - I won't be doing that tomorrow as I'm not getting washed till I get back to the hostel as there is no point. I'm thinning apricots!! In the orchard someone brought a radio so we have singing to the songs (generally old rock anthems) which is total joy and laughter. Most of the time you work silently and concentrate on the work especially as we are all beginners. Today I thinned 4 and 1/2 trees so in theory I made about $20. Thank God for contract by the hour wark to begin with. Next week I go onto pay by the tree rates so I hope to do better than that. To make up to the pay by the hour rate I need to thin 4 times as many as today Eurgh!!!!!!!!!!!! Why oh why did I decide to do this - I must have been crazy! :-) Can't wait till cherry season in December as then you can earn almost $1000 a week - Wahay!! But lots of thinning before then - Damn!

Got to go and make some dinner as I am starving then couch in front of TV tonight before tomorrows slaving :-)