Ty's Odyssey to NZ: Part 3

Hello All,

Another day another epic….Since my last update life has changed exponentially. I've found new roommates and a house. Goodbye trailer hello central heat!!! I found my roommates by placing an add in the weekly newspaper saying I was a "chill telemarker looking to share/rent a room. I'm here for the whole Season!! Non-smoker, non-party animal, clean, easy going, great sense of humor." The add worked and I found some awesome housemates. I live with three other people in a four bedroom house. Katherine and her boyfriend Simon own the house and are renting the downstairs rooms to Chris and I, the third bedroom is used just to store adventure gear. My roommates love the outdoors and are all multi sport athletes, mainly skiing, mountain biking and kayaking so we have quite a few things in common. Last weekend I was the support crew for three teams in the Peak to Peak adventure race. Chris and Katherine did great and the all girls team that I supported won their division while the third team also placed well.

I've also started working part time at Treble Cone and at Cardies. My job at Treble Cone has gone great after working just one day they gave me all exclusive staff pass and a pretty flexable schedule (It's big in NZ to get a staff pass if you are only part time). I've also picked up a part time job working the events/race department at Cardrona Resort. Everyone seems really laid back and I only have to work four days a week, plus I get a pass for two of the best mountains in New Zealand for free!!!! I've also crocheted the world's coolest hat (It's the sweet white and blue one I'm wearing in the picture.) That's right crocheting, I picked it up while i was shivering in the trailer.

The rest of the time has been spent skiing, volunteering for the adaptive program at Cardrona. The Adaptive program is the New Zealand equivalent to Challenge Aspen. I assist clients who are non-able bodied skiers. My duties range from helping people with cognitive disabilities to people with physical impairments. It is very cool and rewarding to share the outdoors with people of all abilities.

The ski conditions here are great for racing and learning how to carve on bombproof rock hard ice. The skiing is a little different here but I really have seen my skiing improve. I've also now had plenty of practice tuning my skis after running over lots and lots and lots of rocks. I'm working on my technique and posture while carving but have still gotten in some epic powder days. I'd never though I'd be skiing powder like this in August. Hope everyone is having a great summer in the States and I'll send another update when something interesting happens.

Until next time,

take care,

Ty

Ty's odyssey in New Zealand: Part 2

Hello All,

Another week and it's another adventure!!! I've washed more dishes this week, and hiked and skied harder than I ever thought possible. I worked as a temp. washing dishes so that i could make rent and pay for food and entertainment, so I can stop using my savings from the States. I've telemarked five of the last seven days, so life has been pretty good. I also had a great nights out to celebrate the fourth and fifth of July!!! I've just finished reading "the world is flat" and am about to start reading "the ethics of what we eat".
To Save money I've started sharing the camper with a fellow ski bum. James is a nice guy from Australia who works at Treble Cone and has the best job in New Zealand.He Cleans dishes at Treble Cone with two of the prettiest German women I've ever seen.

So I've cut my expenses skied a bunch and now all I needed was a sweet job.......I've landed a part time position on the Treble Cone Ski Racing Crew, and a part time events position at Cardrona. So I'll work all the events in the Wanaka/Otago Region and teleski the rest of the time. Rough life, I know but some one has to do it.



Until Next time....
Take Care,

Tyler A. Newton

Ty's odyssey to New Zealand: Part 1

Hello All,

I've arrived and New Zealand and have had a few eventful few days. The plane ride was great i had no one sitting next to me so it was easy to stretch and sleep. Lucy a friend I worked with in Aspen was kind enough to pick me up at 5am and house me for my stay in Auckland. My first day was surreal, I has very jet logged but made the most of the day. I hung out with Lucy, drove around Auckland and the went the Piha Beach with Lou (another friend from Aspen). Piha is located on the West Coast and walking along and exploring the untamed Beach was amazing.


The next few days were spent in Auckland searching the local hostels and backpackers places for a cheep car. After two days of searching and site seeing I found a man in Christchurch who was looking to sell a 1985 two door Honda Civic for a price I couldn't refuse. The only problem was he lived in Christchurch on the South Island. No problem though after running the numbers I figured out a plane flight would cost as much as driving down to the south island (with ferry ride of course). I quickly organized a cheep plane ticket and spent the next two days hanging out in Auckland walking and taking picture of everything I could. Highlights of Auckland included the Museum, Sky tower, and Devonport.

Sunday Night I arrived in Christchurch where Allen the man I bought the car from came and picked me up from the Airport. Allen was nice enough let me crash in his guest bedroom and I looked at the Civic the next morning. The car is no chick magnet but it runs and has snow chains!! Most important it was the right price. Allen showed me around Christchurch Sunday where I attended the local market and checked out the sights of New Zealand's second biggest city.

Monday was very exciting, I learned how to drive on the left side of the road but the right side of the car and then Drove halfway across the South island. I woke up with the sun and drove, and drove and saw a lot of sheep, beautiful lakes (see picture of jumping by lake) and I arrived in Wanaka just in time for sunset. Lucy's roommate Spike had told me of some housing near the lake and I'm currently renting a Caravan down by the lake. It is a rather interesting place but there are many other backpackers and travelers in the same boat as me. They call themselves the "Trailer Park Posse" or TPP for short and they seem like a good group to hang with.


Since I've arrived in Wanaka I've been applying for jobs, reading and figuring out all of the local attractions and hangouts. The vibe down here is very similar to Aspen at the beginning of the season so I'm not totally lost. It only snows down at the bottom of the valley in Wanaka a few times a season and it snowed two days last week. They don't plow the roads here so everything was shut down for three days. I guess it is a catch 22 with the snow for the resorts and all.I'm going to be a volunteer for Cardrona's adaptive ski program which is New Zealand's version of Challenge Aspen. I'm very excited to share the sport of skiing with non-able bodied skiers. It should be a great experience!!!

I'm making the most of my quiet days by applying to a few new places everyday and it is rather peaceful not having to be at work every day. From what I understand most positions are full but after the first few weeks, a lot of people quit or move out so better living conditions and jobs are on the horizon. Until then, I'll be hanging reading, and skiing with the adaptive ski program.



Take Care,

Ty