Settled In...

My big news is that I’ve found a great place to live! Bungi Backpackers! This former hospital is now a small, funky hostel that only sleeps about thirty people- it feels more like a big house! There is a large yard with a volleyball net, picnic tables, hammocks, BBQ, and a hot tub, and we also have a comfy TV room with a great movie library, a funky dining room, and a great reading room that has an amazing view. We also have free soup every day at 6pm and free BBQs on Tuesdays and Thursdays! So there are always people relaxing around or watching a movie. It’s just a quick five minute walk up the hill from the center of Queenstown. As you can see in the photos on my website, I live in a smaller trailer/caravan behind the main house. I work 2 hours a day, six days a week, cleaning and vacuuming and this covers my accommodation (including utilities, laundry, and internet). I’m sharing the caravan with another girl who works here, Silvia from Brazil, she seems like she’ll be a great roommate. We have our own quarters in the caravan, so it seems like more than enough space! Because this work only covers accommodation, I have been on the hunt for another job. Queenstown is between their busy seasons right now, so they are kind of in a lull and consequently, there are not many jobs available at the moment. I have dropped off my CV (resume) in several places and have signed on with a temp. agency so we will see! Living at Bungi has been pretty good so far. It’s fun to have my own space but still be able to go hang out in the hostel and meet people from all over the world. This past week I’ve been spending a lot of time with a group of backpackers from Israel, we have had some great conversations! They are really interesting, unique people and I’ve enjoyed getting to know them. From Bungi, it’s literally a five minute walk to the lakefront- where I can put my feet in the water! Queenstown Gardens takes up a beautiful peninsula that jets out into Lake Wakatipu, there’s a pond, rose gardens, tennis courts, Frisbee golf course, a maze of walking/running trails, and of course tons of shoreline! It’s also covered with pine trees, so it smells beautiful!! The entrance to the gardens is two blocks down the hill from Bungi, so I’ve been going there almost every day. And the great thing is that there are never many people there, so it will be a wonderful place to find some solitude and amazing views!! In contrast to the quiet of the park, the busy center of Queenstown is very compact and has a bit of everything. It’s also a quick five minute walk down the hill (and yes, that does mean I have to walk UP the hill to get back….) There are several hiking trails in the area that I’ve yet to check out. But as you can see from my photo website, there are gorgeous mountains in every direction and there are so many beautiful spots on the shore of the lake. All to say, I really like it here and am excited to become a local. Hopefully I can find a job soon so that I can meet more locals. So that’s about all I have to say, check out my photos for more details, including a day trip to the western end of the 80km long Lake Wakatipu and photos of Bungi and my room!