Fiji Time

A short 3 hr plane trip from Auckland landed me in a tropical paradise: Fiji. The first night I made some friends with three other travelers doing the same circuit, three lovely ladies from England: Lynsey, Ellie and Becky. We ended up traveling the islands together and became great friends. The first day was a boat trip to the Northern end of the Yasawa Islands, enduring the painful Celine Dion session on the boat radio. I booked my first two nights at a resort called Coral View. The rest of the trip, I followed my new friends as we worked our way over eight nights back toward the mainland, eventually visiting six different islands.

(Coral View Resort, and Lynsey, Becky, Ellie (left to right))

(The small resort on South Sea Island, you could walk around the island in 5 minutes!)

The idea is for the type of package I bought was that you have unlimited travel on this boat between the islands, and you pick which ones you want to stay at, you only have to book a day ahead and there was always room. There are several resorts on each island and some are nicer than others. They aren't the typical 'resort' you would think of, they are very rustic. The showers are outside, you stay in 10 bed dorms, there is barely electricity and no technology. Once you get adjusted, however, its a great experience. I enjoyed taking a step back in time and being so cut off from the rest of the world. Additionally, all of the fellow travelers and especially the Fijians were very friendly and open which made it easy.

(All of our friends that were on the same trek as us at sunset)

Each time you arrive to a resort, the Fijian team sings you a welcome song; they also sing one when you leave. It turns out they are very musical people and pretty much everyone sings and plays guitar. When you are there, you are a part of their family. It was astonishing how they remember your name after hearing it once and are just genuinely happy to have you there. I thought about how they get new travelers every day of the week, yet they never seem to get tired of it and become irritable like some of the service people can get in the Western world.

(Fijian Welcome Song. Bula!!)

Apart from endless hours of sunbathing, reading in hammocks on the beach and swimming, I did a lot of snorkeling. It was some of the best I've ever done and the girls said it was better than the Great Barrier Reef! It's a whole other world underneath the water; I saw several different types of coral and reef fish all feeding gracefully in unison. During one trip, we swam with small reef sharks (probably about 6ft long at the biggest). I even saw a small Great White, probably about 4 ft long. Awesome time!

(Hammocks at Manta Ray Resort)

(The tropical landscape with banana trees and lots of fragrant beautiful flowers)

(The sculptures and beach on Bounty Island)

I met a lot of cool Fijians and one of them personally took me through the village where he grew up, which I sensed was something not a lot of tourists got to do. I saw first hand how they live work, and interact. Sleeping on the floor and living in what appears at first glance to be run down homes, but after some time and understanding, you realize that they are really clean people and have pride in their dwellings. Nothing is brand new, but they aren't run-down. It looks poor here, but only money-wise. The people are cheerful, well-fed, and healthy.

I want to point out now just how impressed I was with the Fijian culture. They are just laid-back, genuinely content people and it seems part of their culture to be happy. They use the phrase "Fiji Time" which describes their laid-back, no-worries approach to life, maximizing enjoyment of the time you have in life. They don't want or need technology, they live off the land and don't take much from the mainland except for some supplies, petrol, and health care. None of them looked stressed or unhappy. Its just a completely different culture and way of life and after a few days, I felt myself drifting into that mindset. It was a great experience for me being self sufficient, washing my clothes by hand, not wanting technology or possessions. I probably could have stayed a few months working with the villagers fishing during the day, gardening, and helping build houses. They work hard, pretty much every day, and each night relax together with Kava.

Kava is a root that they mix with water and drink. If you drink enough, it relaxes you completely and you sleep well. Some people even hallucinate! The Kava ceremony is spiritual the first few rounds of drinking, and then becomes a social activity, mainly for the males. Each night they get together and drink, relax and sing songs on the guitar. A way of bonding together after a hard days work.

(Enjoying Kava at Waya Lailai Resort)

So after a suprisingly pleasent journey home, I'm finally back on home soil, resting at my mom's place for the moment, planning my next move. It feels so weird to be back in American culture again, things seem so big, people drive on the other side of the road, and there are no accents. It seems as if NZ was a dream that I just woke up from. But I miss it already and feel I'll be back sometime soon.

Leaving NZ

Sadness sets in as I look at the sinking sunlight on the Remarkables Mtns: a reminder that my days here are limited. New Zealand, and Queenstown in particular, is such a beautiful, magical place that can never be matched. Part of me thinks that I cannot leave here as I plan my next adventure.

As some of you know, Friday I leave for 10 days in the beautiful Islands of Fiji! A quick relaxing holiday on the beach, soaking up the last rays of Southern Hemisphere sunlight before heading back to the cold of Montana. I'll work on that tan! This place is a tropical paradise that has some of the best snorkeling in the world. I've booked unlimited transportation between the islands on a cruiser boat that travels around only a small portion of Fiji's 300+ Islands. I'll only get to see the best ones, probably 15 in total. On the map below, I'll be flying into Nandi on the main island, and then traveling the islands to the west: the Mamanucas and the Yasawas. Apparently Kadavu Is. to the South is home to the second biggest coral reef in the world.

So you all wonder about the blog? Will I still update it? Of course! I've thoroughly enjoyed the time and experience I've had with this blog. In the beginning I was thinking that this was going to be a nuisance and a chore to keep up with, and no one would even visit it anyway. It turned out to be a hobby of mine and an excellent way to keep in touch and inspire all of you out there. Again, I appreciate all of the support and encouragement that you've all given me through this site. Plus, its been a great way for me to keep a journal of my travels. So I will keep up with this blog, especially since I think I will be up for a new adventure after I touch base back home.

Cheers.

Earthquakes and Jet Boats

Three weeks ago I felt my first ever earthquake, a 4.5 occurring near Milford sound that rumbled all the way across the South Island hitting Queenstown for only a few noticeable seconds. Since then we’ve had three more in the last week: one big one, an aftershock, and another small tremor. It was a 6.7 at the epicenter, again near Milford Sound (see below) and lasted about 20 seconds. I was in Skybar at the time watching the lamps sway and bottles shake saying to myself I didn’t know alcohol had that effect! What a crazy feeling, the whole floor moved around back and forth like I was on a wave or something! I felt the aftershock out on the street a few minutes later; its weird feeling something your mind tells you is so solid and stable like the street move around. There was only a small bit of damage in QT including Absinthe bottles that smashed from the top shelf in the liquor store below Skybar.

NZ is one of the most geologically active places in the world, so it’s no surprise that earthquakes are commonplace here. In fact, there is one nearly everyday. The Southern Alps are the fastest growing mountain range in the world, causing major activity. If you’re interested, check out this NZ website, it tells you where the last quake was and also tracks volcanic activity including the eruption of Mt. Ruapehu last month on the North Island: http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/recent_quakes.html

Last Tuesday we had a staff party for Skybar and the other 6 bars in Queenstown and Wanaka that are owned by mainly the same people. They make up the Goodbars group: http://www.goodbars.co.nz/

On that rainy Tuesday, we jumped into a Kawarau Jet boat and got taken around Lake Wakatipu and then up the Kawarau river gorge (http://www.kjet.co.nz/about-us/default.asp). It was a blast despite the cold rain as we spun 360’s and raced past rocky river banks and trees. Jet boats were invented right here in NZ and only need 6in. of water to function in. The are the same idea as the jet ski back home and are just as maneuverable. I was amazed at the control and power we had. Imagine rippin’ up the narrow river at speeds up to 80mph with the sound of a burly jet engine behind you, hugging all the turns and fishtailing. Awesome!

A Sort of Homecoming?

Since everyone left from 42 Below and the ski season is winding down here which means most of my good friends are leaving town soon, I've been quite sad. Additionally, as some of you may have heard, we've lost two close family members in the last month, so needless to say, I'm thinking of coming home for a few months to be with my family. A few months ago I thought I was staying here for sure but recently I've been feeling I need a short break. NZ is a great place and I plan on coming back soon, there is high potential for me settling down here. But for now, I still haven't found what I'm looking for...I'm tossing around a few ideas on where to go and what to do...


I now have more questions than answers, but on the bright side, my travels have thought me a few key things in life. I've realized just how temporary things can be if you let them and how your dreams can be attained by just trying and believing. If you want to go to a new place to live, realize how easy it can be to get established and to live with minimal possesions. I can go live somewhere now with just 1 bag of luggage. Step back and think about this for a moment. How free would this make you feel? Another key ideal that I've learned is that you don't have to live your life like society tells you to. Work whatever job you want, go wherever you want, take a break from your professional life if you're curious. You only get one shot here; know you're in control. Follow it.



R

42 Below Week

Well, yet another great week to report on! The week of Sept. 10-16th was the Cocktail World Cup for NZ's own brand of vodka, 42 Below*. 42 Below put on a week-long cocktail competition in which 42 of the worlds best mixologists from all over the world, 14 teams of three, try to make the best 42 Below cocktail. Each team had a home bar in which they practiced all week, I was lucky enough to have one of the coolest, most talented team at Skybar: Scotland. Other teams hailed from England, Ireland, Miami, Las Vegas, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.

During the week each team was judged on certain events including making cocktails while bungee jumping, during jetboating, and on top of the Remarkables mountain range! They were also put up in a posh hotel and given cool parties and bar seminars all week.

Being the curious person I am, I got involved in all the events I could. I went to a few bartending seminars and met famous bartending icons such as Dale De Groff, author of The Craft of the Cocktail, and known as the 'King of Cocktails.' He is upon one of the most famous in the bartending world yet surprisingly, he is extremely humble, and super nice. I also was lucky enough to get invited to an exlcusive private party for 42 Below in which all the teams got up on stage and made cocktails for the media. I even got to go up on stage with team Scotland and was on camera making drinks with them, imagine that! The party was well organized and fantastically decorated, like something out of boogie nights, it was wicked!

(Dave and I with team Scotland: Richard, David, and Claire)

(David from Scotland, Lovely Leah from Miami, Alan and Ryan from Ireland)

The final competition was on Saturday in which each team had 7 minutes to make a winning cocktail. Out of 14 teams, the States' very own team, Las Vegas won it! They had liquid nitrogen on stage to freeze strawberries and to infuse strawberry into vodka in minutes. Scotland came in 4th, which was pretty good. After that, a famous kiwi band called The Black Seeds took the stage for a free concert. They were incredible!

(Team Miami on Stage top, team Vegas with their liquid nitrogen. And yes, the bar was made out of ice.)

(Team Scotland)

Later that night was one of the best nights of my life! Skybar had its biggest night ever and was just completely RAMMED busy! We danced on the bar, tables, lit the bar on fire, did umbrella dances behind the bar and parties all night. I got so many compliments on the bar that week from all the 42 Below people saying it was the best bar in town, wow! Then I got invited to the 42 Below after party and partied until 10am! What an epic, epic night!!

(Skybar's biggest night, better than New Years!)

(The crazy after party where everyone got silly. Dale De Groff and I donned in our cult-like robes along with 30 others outside the hotel at 9am. My tie is the belt of the robe! I have no idea how I managed to tie it in the state I was in.)

So it was another crazy week, one of the best and most memorable of my life, again! I met some really inspirational people from all over the world and learned a lot about bartending. I've been inspired to learn more about cocktail bartending and now I'm motivated to stay in the field for a while.

What I realized was how deep this profession can be and how much like engineering it is. There is so much attention to detail in cocktail methods, bar equipment, and knowledge of spirits. There is so much behind why things are done the way they are, why the equipment is purpose-built. The history of spirits and how they originated is quite elaborate and fascinates me. I was just blown away by how creative this field is; it is an art, a science, that I never realized before--truly culinary arts behind the bar.

Then there is the element of flair, which is not just flipping bottles around like Tom Cruise, but merely bartending with style. Watching someone in which all their movements are so practiced and precise while they enjoy making your drink using their creativity and knowledge of mixology is something to behold; it is truly a profession of expression.

For once in my life, through bartending, I feel I can easily transcend my inward creative energy and desire for inspiring people to enjoy their life into an outward feeling that is hopefully enjoyed by all those around me.



*42 Below was invented by a guy named Jeff Ross several years ago in Wellington, hence 42 below degrees latitude. The vodka started in his garage as distilling your own spirits is legal here. With a little marketing the vodka got very popular and eventually was bought by Bacardi for a huge sum of money. Now its one of the leading lines of vodka in the world and has several unique flavours to boot, like Manuka honey, a native NZ honey, passionfruit, kiwifruit, and fejoa, a small green fruit native to the pacific islands.

First Birthday in a Foreign Country

Yes, the Playboy Mansion Party went well. Guests were welcomed into a voluptuous Skybar decorated with pink and black balloons, a borrowed lingerie mannequin, and a bubble machine. Dave went as a pimp, and me, as Hefner, complete with the signature smoking jacket and a pipe. We got a few girls to be bunnies and we all had a wicked night! I still think the Bond party, however, was the best.

(Barbara, Dave, and I)

(Dave with Millie and Gemma, and Petr, Millie and Dave dancing on the bar)

Last week was my birthday party! The night before my big day, we had a small get-together at my house. It was refreshing to not be at a bar and get a chance to BBQ and socialize. Friday, the 10^th, I had a party at Skybar. I didn’t expect anything, but when I walked up there, I was astonished! Dave Harris (I call him Davis), co-worker and best friend, had decked out the whole place with balloons, streamers, and pictures of me and my friends all over the walls! Wow, how special! The night started slow with a cheese platter and a few nice drinks, but then quickly proceeded into a serious piss-up session, as one does on their birthday. People I didn’t even know recognized me from the photos on the wall and bought me Jager Bombs and shots of Chartreuse. It was an epic night.

(Skybar decorations and Chris, Angelo, Kat and I)

(Me, Nikki, and a pumping Skybar)

Saturday, we all went to see Shapeshifter over in Wanaka, a kiwi drum and bass band with very positive lyrics and hints of hip-hop. I’ve seen them before and they are excellent performers, please check out this band if you like electronic music. Their newest album, Solstice, is choice.

(Shapeshifter in Wanaka)

What a great birthday! Three days of enjoyment and one of the best I’ve had. Thanks to all!

If it sounds like a constant party down here, well it is. I guess that’s the nature of running a bar, but most of the time, I like it. I’ve still been having some of the best, most memorable times to date down here and I don’t want it to end. Things have just been working out so great for me since I’ve gotten established. I don’t know if it’s been my positive attitude, just meant to be, or both, but I’ve been so fortunate the last 9 months.

Currently, I even have a few engineering job prospects on the horizon. I’m writing this blog entry from the Wellington Airport since I got flown up yesterday for an engineering interview by a company called OPUS. Today I had an interview with Weta Digital, one of the leaders in the computer animation sector of the film industry contributing to such films as King Kong, Shrek, and Lord of the Rings. Can you believe it? How I got that one, I don’t know, but what an opportunity! They want me for my Solidworks 3D modeling experience.

Just finished with both interviews and everything went smooth. For the first time, I didn’t get nervous for interviews. I feel so confident knowing that NZ is in such a shortage for skilled people. I felt that anywhere I drop my resume, I will get attention. Its such a great feeling. It takes the pressure off the interview and I feel like I can promote myself even more. They never asked the HR questions like why should we hire you. They were so chilled out and laid-back (yes, the Kiwi style) and just was telling me about the job and trying to get me interested. I felt like they were on interview, not me. It was a great experience.

NZ is such a relaxed place with so many subtle differences from the US, you can’t help but fall in love with that. For example, I didn’t even go through ANY security to fly from Queenstown to Christchruch! In addition, during the flight, the pilot said that since we were 10 min. early, a clear nice day, and his last flight for a while, we were going to fly over Mt. Cook! So he took the whole plane (a 737) over Mt. Cook and the West Coast and pointed out the glaciers and Mtns. A spectacular view from the air! Would that ever happen in the US? Diverting a plane for sightseeing? Even when I went through security at Christchurch, the guards were friendly, the line short and fast, and it was just painless. Flying here is painless. A lot of things here are made so simple and trusting to people, I can’t believe it.

That said, I’m thinking of staying another year, especially with these real job opportunities on the go. I’ll keep you all posted, thanks for reading!!

My Pad and the Skybar Parties

Wow, it's been a while again since I posted, I've been so busy with work the last month. To start off the winter season here I decided to throw a trilogy party at the bar with three themed nights three weeks in a row: Miami Vice, James Bond, and A Night at the Playboy Mansion. For the last two Wednesdays there have been Miami Vice and James Bond. The parties were a lot to plan and get decorations for on top of my normal load of work, but they have been a huge success and tons of fun! Miami Vice was great, we all dressed up in cheap 80's sport coats and played 80s tunes all night. Everyone had such a great time!

(Dave, another bartender with Nikki and Anna, two friends (left). Me with Beth and Dave, the three bartenders on that night! (right)

(Some hard lines of icing sugar and two cool dudes)

Next was James Bond. All the bartenders dressed up as Bond wearing our bow ties and carrying a PPK. Brilliant! Quite a few people dressed up as villians and other Bond characters, such as our door man as Oddjob, a girl as Goldfinger, and Jaws...

(Me with 'T', our doorman as Oddjob, and Barbora, one of our bartenders.

It was an epic night, and everyone said it was the best Bond party they ever went to. We played the Bond theme periodically and snuck through the crowd with our guns. It was so much fun! I went to bed at 9am that day.

Next Wednesday is the Playboy party and I hope everything goes ok. I got a Hugh Hefner robe for myself, some pink and black balloons and a few of my female friends to dress in provocative bunny outfits.

Now, as promised some pictures of my cool flat! Its one of the best flats I've ever had. Not only is it a 5 min. walk from town and has an incredible view of the lake and the mountains, it has a spa pool and a sauna! Additionally, the basement floors are heated tiles and we have a big screen plasma TV. My flatties are really cool too! Its such a great set up, I don't want to leave. Chris Payne and his girlfriend Kat are my flatties. Chris is a genuinely nice guy from NZ and helps me out at Skybar. He's a professional bartender and knows his shit. Kat is a lovely girl from Ireland and is a pleasure to be around. I feel so lucky and I don't want it to end!

(Our Front door and view looking down on QT, and, of course, our spa, and BBQ.)

(Our living room and the door to our sauna)

(Our living room, kitchen and TV, and our downstairs bathroom with its' cool tile work)

(Chris and Kat, and Queenstown Wharf after our first snow)


(Me with the Flatties in our living room)

(The view from our front porch, and snowy mountains on Lake Wakatipu from the QT waterfront)