Winter has come

full on snow day 

When it snows to the ground in Queenstown for the first time it is a full on party. School is canceled work is canceled. The town goes mental with people snowboarding and skiing and snowboarding  on any bit of land they can. Some extreme adventures skin up the mountain. Dumpsters are used for jumps, lids for sledding, and make sure your ready for snow ball fights. Of course town is off the change. With people in there snow gear bar hopping and hooting and hollering. It's just like you see on the movies. 

Starting this week Queenstown becomes extremely busy again. With tons of tourist coming to ski and snowboard. 

The last few months I have been working loads but loving it. I work still as a paper runner : ) haha you can laugh I don't mind. I get to run up and down the hills with a nice heavy pack. If I am lucky I get one of my kind roommates to help me with a driver. But my main job I wish was training but instead I work at an awsome restaurant in a small town called arrowtown. It's called postmasters. The owners are amazing and the food is tasty and of course the service is like none other ; ) 

I have been practicing my barista and cooking skills. My favorite days are making homemade  ice cream. We have made vanilla, cinnamon milk, chocolate hazelnut , orange mandarin, passion fruit rum, lemon lime, chocolate chip, Black Forest gato, kaffir lime, raspberries, rhubarb, some more but I forgot. I was the main baker for the place. Making the scones, carrot cake, banana bread, oat cakes, orange almond cake, chocolate soufflé, biscotti, and shortbread. Ok enough about food the reason I said I was is bc next week is my last week because Paul comes and then I travel for a month with him and Elle. When I return to Queenstown I will be starting my training for mt cook!!!!!! I have found an awsome partner to climb it with named dean so that is exciting to have a huge goal to work at. 

Ok what else this last 2 months 

Work work work work bit of training not enough but still happy. 

Having loads of fun with my new roommates. We have nice dinners together : ) 

Jackson bay 

Went to the west coast with my Flatmate ( same one I will climb mt cook with) it was spontaneous I got a call for work to switch dates and then I had two days off and so did dean so we said let's go threw camping gear in car and we were gone with in an hour of my phone call. Along the coast there are blue pools and many waterfalls to see. There is a creepy beach at night in Jackson bay as well ha one of those Erie feelings where we both looked at each other when a violent wave crashed down and  thought should we be here right now. Not so much bc of the way just the camper house before the beach and then the aggressive waves and the hole abundance of it. Hahahahhs but boy was it beautiful the next day in the morning. ( but it was raining so sun would of been nice) 

Pic for the coast are to come here are a few of randomness if questions about pics I can explain. 

Coming soon- updated - um yep

21 river crossing extreme mountain biking into an old gold town ( mace town )
Extreme off roading. Via Mountain bike, 4wd, dirt bike, and behold a 2wd raised car. It takes 21 river crossings to get to mace town. With 4 bikers a few in the little raised car a few on dirt bikes and a few in the comfortable compared to others jeep. River crossing number 5 has a big dip into it and beware of the big rock that a mountain bike wheel and the power of your own legs won't make instead you hit it full on and go full on over your handlebars into the river Hahaha then you cross some more and pick enough black berries to die your hand black for a week and climb the apple trees to get the un picked apples and reach for a few plums on the way as well. At the end which isant even very cool compared to the mission to get there you see an old mine town with the old houses. The 2wd ended up dying and had to be towed out which was a roller
Coster and the hand break started to go ... Not so great when you are on the side of a cliff and going up and down switch backs. One guy on the dirt bike flew off gashed open his arm. It was quite the adventure and worth doing again. I biked in and was in the towed car out.




Climbing the remarkables

The 2 most popular mountain in new Zealand are the remarkables
The first is mt cook ( highest )
How ever the remarkables are in more movies such as all The Lord of the rings. They are a beautiful range of peaks in queenstown. Double cone sits at 2319 meters. I of course look at the top and say I must get up there. I ask every week for someone to go with and never find anyone.
But this one time a few weeks ago I had a remarkable day. Ha
I had m first attempt at it and had seeked advice on how to go about doing it. My friends said o yeah it's easy bla Bla Bla takes 2 hours from ski field top Bla Bla Bla
Needless to say when I asked they maybe I don't no how but mis understood me. Bc yes to the look out with a trail takes 2 hours or less and is easy however I never asked that I said to the top of double cone ... There was a big difference. Attempt one with no rope we took the wrong route but it was so fun and we were bouldering and trying to get to the top but then there were drop off cliffs and had to go down and around and then nope more hazard and then down and around and we didn't make it but 3 days later we had to re attempt. We finally made it and its not just a hike you should maybe use rope we didn't ( maybe not so smart but sometimes you just live in the moment and go for it) it was remarkably windy at the top. In fact I wanted to take a self timer photo with the big heavy camera but I was afraid it would blow off so I tide the strap around the rocks.
Half way up there is a freeZing cold lake. I tricked the boys I was with that everyone who comes to it has to jump in. ( they can't leave nz with out doing it) hahaha they took there cloths off and away they went hahaha they got out and then discovered that I have never been and it ill keep it that way.


Easter play
The kea flys ...

Life is a dream, step inside it

The mountaineering category
I successfully completed my technical mountaineering course. It might go down as best time in nz! I loved pretty much ever second of it even my near death experience. You learn a lot from those things ha ..... What near death experience ... My dad said not to tell people this, because people will worry to much but come on what kind of boring blog would this be if I didn't tell you some jucy things here and there. So first things first the course there was 3 girls including me and 5 guys and 2 guides or instructors. The one guide was military style the other very .... Such a cool interesting character. Day one we met each other and got all of our bags sorted ice axe, ice hammer, ice stake, ice screws, carabiners , slings, Prusiks, crampons, helmet, harness, head light, boots extra. We then go over avalanches and watch videos of people dying in them and hear stories of bad events and all this stuff to remind us that it can happen and to make sure to take it seriously and maybe to see if someone was not up for it to wine them out of even going. We then helicoptered up into the mountains near kelmen hut on the Tasman glacier ( biggest glacier in nz)
We un load and get our first of several tips on crampons and how to walk in them. From here we learn about self arrest ( how to save your self if your falling down a mountain face on the ice ... Like sledding down the high school hill and then stopping your self. We of course learn all about knots and hitches, belay systems , abseiling, anchors, nuts cams, my brain is full of info. The guides finally thought we were ready for a peak so we practice our skills and roped up for glacier travel and had stunning views when we reached the top. We then did a 8 pitch peak the next day going up the glacier side and abseiling down the rock side. I had a good time peeing my pants durning this day. I was using a tool hahah and I felt confident with my peeing tool so tried doing it sitting down and .... Not so confident hahah ... If curious you can ask questions. One of the silly boys left a knot in the rope and we couldn't get one of the ropes down from one of the 5 abseils down. The guides were not so happy about this. So they selected me at dinner time to go and help retrieve the rope the next day with climbing up the rock face. I was pumped to be chosen and was like o crap I am not a great rock climber. They choose me bc he thought he could trust me with his life. Before we go and retrieve this rope we had to fall into a crevasses and rescue each other. Doug ( climbing partner) and I were o so lucky to be the Ginny pigs and go first. Doug paid little attention to details and went falling down the hole and I flung into the air and jammed my crampon into my leg but no worries I stopped him and he was safe. Now for the big event.... To go get the rope Murray the guide and I rope up and depart straight up to the rock on a very big incline. We come to the rock and have to find a way onto it. There is a gap between the rock and glacier - There is a 4 inch snow bridge to it and then a big one he chooses the big one and tells me to stay were I am. He reaches the rock makes and anchor and then top belays me up making me test out the 4 inch snow bridge surprisingly it held me. Makes me think 4 inch of ice is safe ; ) haha ok I am looking at the slab and cracks and thinking to my self well I hope I can even get up this thing. He starts lead climbing and stops at this 4-6 inch thick crack he yells down at me and says " Jess this Is the hardest part of the climb all I want you to do is jam your boot into the crack as hard as you can and then trust it and stand on it" he continues to go up and I am like wtf hahaha so he gets 50 or so meters up and yells safe and then it is my turn. So I go I get to the crack and I give it a go and soccer boot my boot into the crack give it a wiggle and not much moved then I said to my self here goes nothing and I step up onto it and wow it stayed it was like a magical step below my foot but I just had the edges of my one boot touching service. The rest of the climb went pretty easy minus this book crack were he gave me pointers and then it was easier. I was doing so well he brought me to the top instead of just to the rope. We got the rope and fixed some of the route bc he had just made it and came back down to a snow and rock area where it was below were we start walking on the glacier. It was around hip level. We got roped up for it and I started to go took 2.5 steps and the snow gave and I was flying down the hill on my back towards a huge crevasses. I turned to do self arrest and it all happened so fast I came to a halt. And my heart was beating and I saw the big ass ice hole not to far from me and my eyes are big and I pretend like no big deal and get back on track. he gave me some tips on what i could of done differently, or if didn't think it was good to anchor it and then we continued to walk to the hut thinking about the event over and over in my head I ask Murray "did I self arrest myself" ????????!!!!!!!!!!! He smirked and said no you were flying down that hill then my heart beat was higher then when it was when it even happened. He stopped me from my death and he didn't fall bc he was in the gap between the glacier and rock at hip level so he just took the hit of my body weight and then some on the ice . Oooofta so needless to say it took me A wile to fall asleep bc I replayed it over and over wondering if I would of stopped before the hole and if he wasn't in the gap but on the glacier would we both be in the crack. god was with me and it wasn't my time. I look at it as a good thing bc i was pretty confident with all my skills and I think this humbled me to remember that bad things can happen and that your brain always needs to be on in the mountains. It also maid me think how important a climbing partner is. So over all it's a good thing it happened.

The random category
My friend works for the radio station and they put on a diathon for kids 6-14! I went and helped at it. It was so fun. I warmed up all the kids and and was at the bike to run transition. I also was announced as a famous fitness gourew from America so they thought I was the coolest thing. Hahah was so funny and I handed out the medals over all great day helping out kids for a good cause.
Did a 10 hour hike that was suppose to take 8-12 hours we started off on the wrong path so yay we did an extra hour of bush walk. The end of trail brought us to a beautiful glacier and water falls and up in a high valley it was pretty cool.
Celebrated a friends birthday out on her sisters farm. It is an old farm that looks like it is straight out of the movie lord of rings or hobbit. Little creeks running Down everywhere a cute house, i just keep getting so lucky with seeing all these sweet things. I asked for a tour and sometimes when you ask you shall receive : ) we had a huge BBQ and danced most of the night away and then had a bit of camp fire songs
Pretty much becoming a great low budget chef just FYI
Legs are all browsed, I did /tried a leg hold when climbing the other day.

The work category
February has come and gone so fast. For boot camp I had to select a winner of a bran new spin bike. It was a hard choice I had two clients who completed every weekly challenge and didn't miss a boot camp. They both always came and worked hard. One even gave up a paid helicopter flight and dinner and drinks to come to boot camp wow!!! They both were great candidates and wanted the bike badly paid for by the crown plaza but there can only be one winner and I choose the gal who gave up the helicopter flight. I also thought it would suit her Health benefits better.
I am down to 2 boot camps a week now instead of 4.
Aspiring catering--- I worked the most beautiful wedding venue I have scene. It was out in wanaka which is a beautiful town on the lake over looking the mountains much like queenstown only smaller. The venue was out in this park next to a huge old brick house. They got married under the trees and then came across the raked path to the big green and white tent area. I also worked a red carpet event for the Toyota dealers awards. There were some famous New Zealanders there and the Olympic gold medalist shot putter ... She is huge like really big like wow
Bad news I got rejected from a job ... Not meant to be I guess
Good news I will keep looking or get any job to make ends meat in tell I get another personal training job. ( no worries life is good)

The boys boys boys category
Don't kiss and tell ; )

Can't complain

I keep living the dream. In the past few weeks I have took in a lot of the kiwi adventure. It helps that I live in the adventure capital of the world. I have completed all of my requirements for my mountaineering course. Learning my knots from a clone hitch, Italian, and the basic knots such as figure 8. I put my knots to practice when I went climbing 3 days last week. Learning how to lead climb lead belay and all about nuts yes nuts not knots and top rope and yada yada if you are not a climber or in some kind of out door crazy recreation you have no idea what I am talking about that is ok. One of the days we went to an area called wye creek. It of course has an above average view. You hike up to the climbing slab and you fill your bottles up out of the creek along the way. It is a short walk when you have Harry a man who I met on my birthday bc he gave us a jump for the car and then randomly bump into him again 3 weeks later to go climb ... Small world and way it's a short walk the hour hike up he played his small guitar ( don't no how to spell uka lay le) and sang songs that we all sung along to as well it was a good time

I also went canyoning where you jump into canyons and go with the river down water falls and the current and such sounds unsafe when I write it but I am still here to write it for you! By the way I highly recommend

I also went paragliding!!!!!!! So I ran off a mountain and then flew it was un real. My favorite part was when my flying partner asked if I want to do crazy and of course ..... Then he made it better then a roller coster. He stalled us and made us spin and go up and down and fast to slow whoop whoop!!!

Went to a little opposite of ugly lake up in a high valley tucked away for the locals to enjoy. It is a warmer lake and more of mn color lake not as blue as the norm here. It was a wonderful day spent swimming and chilling with some roommates. I need to add that I stayed in the water for 15 min and swam. I say this bc the other lakes in Nz you don't want to stay in for more then 5 min at a time. You jump in and swim and jump out heat up and do it again mok lake made me think of brainerd summer minus the scenery hahaha ok the only thing the same was the weather and the lake but yeah.... : D

I worked a fancy wedding ( catering) it showed me how some things are all the same and how some things are so different. Comparing to my dad of course hahahahah. Biggest difference is they had labels on all there boxes and imagine this what was labeled on the box was in the box ( lulu virgie you better read this) it was fun to work and see how things are done here. Also fun to see a Nz wedding to compare that. I will wait tell I know more and see more to sort out the difference. Now I would say pretty similar just a little longer from meal stand point it was a bigger even after the wedding they arrived around 3 and had cocktails and then orderves and then went into the hall and had wine and what not then the starter then speeches then break and went outside and had cocktails then back in and dad spoke then more wine then finally the meal and then more talk time and the finally tea and coffee and ice cream and cake. They didn't start the dance tell 11 oofta !!!!!!

The crown plaza boot camp extended for February so that is cool as well!!
They must think I am an all right trainer : )

Rowdy and rugby

Amp show
I was a rowdy the other day for my roommate mister wonky donkey man. When I say I was a rowdy i mean like I helped him set up for his concerts and helped sell and put it on. I also played the kea and the monkey. Were I dresses up in a full mascot looking bird suit and flapped my wings giving kids high fives. If interested follow the link below to hear the best selling children book in Nz and Australia.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SDeQT9zCvi4
If that doesn't work just YouTube wonky donkey or Craig smith I am certain it will be first one.
Not only did I get to play animals in the show I also got to go see all the animal shows. They had sheep sheering competitions, horse shows, cow, dog, rounding up the sheep with the dogs, and you no more typical fair things like best fruit best dessert yada yada. It was neat I had a lot of fun.

Rugby sevens
The national rugby 7 tournament was held in queenstown. Where you play with 7 on a side and 7 min halfs. It was a typical out of hand sporting event for the fans. Fans brought in there own everything including sofas to watch the game. So basically it was lie one huge tailgate being allowed inside the gates. The games were a ton of fun to watch I all most have all the rules down. I of course now want to play. Looks so fun I bet I would be quite good at it. Unfortunately queenstown doesn't have a womens team yet. For the championship guys game they delivered the ball with someone bungy jumping out of a helicopter. .... My favorite part ... I always need to add so etching inappropriate to my blog post ha.... For the semi finals and championship games of the girls and boys. The boy players that have lost do a undi run during half time. It is hilarious and encouraged in Nz ( what the heck usa why do we not encourage that ha) mean wile all ten guy teams are doing this and the announcer is always saying where are the girl teams. During the last game there was one brave girl who sprinted out and all the boys teams chased her and then they stopped at half way and she shot them all and they all fall to ground and wiggle there feet putting on a show of course and the crowd goes wild due to a girl finally doing the run. Over all great weekend!