I've just realised its been a big fat 5 months since my last blog, and to be honest that's probably a good thing as i might have bored you all to tears with the day to day business of Awaroa lodge. So in the heart of winter my time here is coming to an end - and it feels like thats exactly the way it should be too. It's been a varied time at Awaroa, starting at the end of the busy season working 16 hour days as a commis chef and ending up in the middle of winter barely able to work 3 hours a day (due to lack of things to do) as the baker. I've learnt heaps, i LOVE baking bread, really really enjoyed growing my own sourdough babies for my foccaccia, ciabatta and rewena loaves. I've been baking cakes and slices and bread and bread and scones and pies and cakes and puddings and brownies and muffins and crumpets and brioche and more bread! I've really enjoyed that (did i say that already??), i would have liked to have had more practice doing short orders as thats a really useful skill - coping under pressure when the orders come in is not something i had to deal with. At the moment we're lucky to get 3 people in for lunch!
This week we had no customers for 4 days! 4 days, not even a peep of a tramper, a guest, other humans...going crazy... No not too crazy but a little bored perhaps - we do manage to make our own fun though - after last weeks storm the beach was transformed by 50 knot winds and a 2 metre swell (thats something for a usually flat bay). So we took a bottle of wine down to look at the sea, 6 staff members standing at the waters edge suddenly feeling very happy (the sea does that to you here, you finish work feeling a bit bored, lethagic perhaps then a short 5 minute stroll to the beach and BAM you're alive and smiling again. We felt so good we all decided to jump into the sea for the first time in months - believe me mid winter swims are COLD. But nice, very refreshing. The storm then returned after that brief moment of blazing sunshine so we legged it to cover and somehow between the beach and staff quarters the idea of a JAMACIAN PARTY was launched full force. Out came the bright yellow red and green clothing, out came the rum, out came the reggae. It was fun.
So Awaroa has had its ups and downs thats for sure - some magic moments....
- George the dolphin - a lone dolphin who hangs around in the bay, lurking in wait for the next aquataxi to dance with. At the moment there are also big pods of dolphins who swim with us when we're in the aquataxi heading out. Truly magical, it almost takes your breath away to watch them so close.
- Kayaking to the seal colony - a staff outing with the local kayaking company, a beautiful sunny winters day out.
- Running - I've discovered the merits of running (actually it has been pointed out to me that what i do is more accurately called a slow jog!) - running along the tramping tracks in the park through native bush is really calming, and along the beach.....lovely.
- Crosswords - now this one is not exactly a magic moment, far from it but at least my brain has had some exercise in the last couple of months.
- Trips to Nelson and Golden Bay - on my days off, when they've let me back out into society I've really enjoyed the local area. Mostly its great seeing 'other people' these days.....
Nice to be here again, I'll be writing more often now, promise. xx
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