Well, the day is finally here. After cramming in a Birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas celebration with family, trips to Boston, Princeton, and NYC, a crazy NJ October snowstorm, and a great last week with the boyfriend, my short visit home to the east coast is over and I am ready for the next adventure! Tomorrow morning I will be flying out to LA, where I will meet up with my best friend from this year's ranch adventures, Hannah Whitney. There, we will board a 13 hour flight to New Zealand to embark on our next seasonal job adventure at the only 5 star fly-fishing resort in the country, Owen River Lodge.
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| Owen River Lodge, Murchison |
Owen River Lodge is located in Murchison, which is in the Tasman region of the South Island of New Zealand. I am anxious, nervous, excited, but most of all so grateful that I have gotten the opportunity to live and work in such beautiful places over the past year. For all you family members that haven't caught up with the Facebook trend...this past winter I was lucky enough to work at a luxury ski ranch in Steamboat Springs, CO and this summer at a speciality fly-fishing ranch in Creede, CO.
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| Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Winter 2011 |
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| 4UR Ranch in Creede, Summer 2011 |
As much as I love the Colorado mountains, I can't wait to experience and immerse myself in the Kiwi culture. Fortunately, we aren't the first ones out of our friends to venture to New Zealand's South Island, and we already have an American family that is able to pick us up at the airport and help us get situated with a car and bank account in Christchurch before heading up to Murchison. (Many thanks to Jesse, Erin and Laura!) It's crazy to think I'll be on the other end of the earth so soon but I can't say I'm too upset to leave the dirty Jerz or miss a winter season. However, I will definitely miss family and friends back in the states, especially everyone I've met this past year out in the mountains. (Can't wait for my 4UR boys to arrive in January!) A little nervous about the 13 hour flight over the Pacific but free wine and Friday Night Lights DVD's should do the trick! Hope it's not bad luck to fly on Halloween...
Trick or Treat...and adios until Christchurch!
