This is the vineyard in New Zealand where R and I worked for three months this time last year. It's in the Marlborough Region on the South Island (our favorite one of the two in NZ) and the grapes are used by Oyster Bay Vineyards- delicious wine if you haven't tried it yet!! (check out this other vineyard where we planted vines as well.) We decided to do something totally different to make some money, as we'd always fallen back on our usual occupations when we were traveling- me in admin, him doing his woodwork. It was such an adventure to move into the backpackers hostel and get signed up right away with a contractor and head off to work the next morning at 7am to start walking the rows. We had no idea what we were in for, but lucked into working with a great company and in a beautiful part of the world. It was such a treat to be using my body like that everyday and to be outside, nature staring me right in the face, listening to the birds and the leaves on the vines rustle. We did everything from general vine maintenance to cutting grapes to planting to ripping off the 1 foot high plastic bags that covered the bottom of the vines (tell me that didn't hurt the back just a wee bit!! bending up and down for 8 hours a day, 250,000 vines- wow.) It was hard getting up so early everyday, and the monotony could be painful at times (yes, another monotonous job for me! what is that?), but it is one of the best memories we have of traveling! We had only planned on staying a few weeks, but got sucked into the simplicity of it and stayed for over three months! I've become a big fan of wine producing areas around the world and hope to learn more about the science and culture of wine down the road. Maybe we'll get married at a vineyard! This all came to mind today because I was thinking about where I was this time last year and this photo is it. I was happy, physically exhausted, surrounded by pure beauty, stressing about having too much time to think once again, but completely wrapped up the adventure of traveling!! Where were you this time last year?
People ask if I miss traveling, if I'm finding it hard to settle down after being transient between several countries for over 8 years -all of the UK, Australia (where I met R!!), New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia. Sometimes I forget I ever did it all! I actually don't miss it at all these days, probably because I am enjoying the adventure that is now instead. Settling into a life with my Love, surrounded by this amazing place, and building for our future. Traveling became too hard after so many years, I needed to stop and plant some roots. And we found some very fertile soil here on the west coast- must be all the rain!
Hopefully I'll share some of my travel tales with you on here over time. I do love to talk about it - so much so, I'm afraid to start in case I just ramble on and on!! I want to remember that it played a huge part in my life for many years, in discovering who I am, and it will always be important. We still have plans to travel, but not for years at a time anymore- just on holiday! I'd like to find places to go volunteer as well. I would like to see more of BC, the West Coast of north America, Hawaii, some of South America, and all of Europe. I'd love to live in Italy one day as well- there is some sort of bond I feel with that place. Warm fuzzies. Do you have any places you dream of seeing, living, absorbing?
I keep changing this post, so I think I'm not meant to write much today. I'm glad that my last post brought some rays of light into your lives! It made me feel good too. Anyone know any good sites about art journaling? After seeing Rhonna's 21 Day Challenge, I want to get into art journals, big time!! Any suggestions on how to get started, tools I should be looking for?
2 comments:
that job at the vinyard sounds dreamy.
i so wish i was walking the rows right now, allowing nature to take me in and work my body hard to nurture the land.
mmm...so glad you had that experience.
It sounds like you have had some great adventures!! What started you traveling, was it for work, how did it begin?
Well, if you and your love would like to see Africa in '07 or '08 lemme know :)
I would Love to see all of Eurpoe, Italy, I've never been. I have also always wanted to see Egypt and Morocco. I am hoping to go back to Paris for a bit this year. I might be doing an internship at the Louvre...keep your fingers crossed for me!
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