Waiheke... Rhymes with Tikki

hello everyone, I hope all is well.

I am just waking up, and have been meaning to share some visual imagery with family and friends for quite some time now.
I'd like to give a shout out to John and Huy for bringing me back and hooking up my new fabulous laptop. Helps me keep in touch with each and everyone of you as well as provides hours of graphic joy!!

New Zealand is still a great place and I am still exuberantly pleased about being here. I am at a point in my trip where if I want to stay here longer, i need to make some plans and file documents with immigration, but its so hard for me to really make plans. I think once I leave Waiheke Island (aka Bermuda triangle) then I will re-evaluate what it is I want to/can do next.

I've been working at Stonyridge Vineyard for about two months now. Its a fantastic place, with quite a reputation for being a party hotspot. When I first arrived, I didn't feel that Stonyridge necessarily fit the bill for that association, but after the last few parties I've witnessed I kind of agree. There are a lot of people in Auckland, who like and probably only ever listen to techno music... there is such a large percentage of this genre of people that its not surprising then that a vineyard pops up to provide them with a place to party. Stonyridge Vineyard is that vineyard and in being so is a bit two-faced. We make world renowned, classy Bordeaux style wines, I've met many a wine connoisseur who come all the way to New Zealand just to visit Stonyridge, but after 5pm at night if there is something going on its always a drinking redbull & shots of jagermeister while listening to techno music. As employees we have to work at a lot of these events, which is fine because we are getting paid and all. But as a fellow young adult, looking for a good time, I personally wish there was a little bit more rock and roll out here.

I am not sure I've painted a very good image of what Stonyridge and Waiheke are really like, but it is quite comical how many different events or people one finds that only seem to bump crappy techno music. I've been to several different social outtings where it really didn't seem right, for example last week John, Ben and Alex (john's good friend from Maine and his cool girlfriend) and I went to a "Recession Party". It felt a lot like the folk festivals in Eugene. They had little food booths and a wine/beer tent. Lots of families. Hippy children were rolling down hills and there was a stage for live music, but instead of musicians the stage was set up with turn-tables and strobe lights. Techno music is EVERYWHERE here.

Anyways, not really important, just a random tidbit of life I find amusing about New Zealand...


So I made a little photo slide show to share with you. I hope you enjoy it. Its basically my trip and travels from Auckland to Waiheke Island. It includes photos of friends/coworkers, my original house (the sleepout on Frank St.), photos from hikes around the island, our employee party, and some shots from the Stonyridge yoga club... every Monday and Wednesday morning a group of us do yoga before work on the deck at the vineyard. Its such a stunning location for relaxing and working out. One of my favorite past times on the island, and yes 90% of the time during our yoga excersize there is techno in the background.. I've politely protested but no one seems to agree with my concerns.

Love you all... I must jet. I've recently been the tour guide for Stonyridge, which is great fun. I get to speak in front of groups of people and talk to them about wine and winemaking. Two things I don't know much about, but have been trying to learn. So today I am going on the wine tour with John, as research work, aka WINE TASTING! I am very excited. But i've got to get ready for our afternoon in the vines.


Colleen k. d.