A Kiwi Christmas .....

This years Christmas celebrations were very strange compared to what I'm used to back home.

Waking up on Christmas morning to milk the cows, just seemed like a normal working day. The weather was warm and dry and the cows came on to the platform as per usual, the only difference this time was the fact that it was Christmas Day and Janice and I decided we would be having a celebratory drink for the occasion, even wishing the cows a merry Christmas that morning.

The weather improved as the day went along, with temperatures reaching 28degrees, so as you may imagine that was extremely strange for me coming from Christmas celebrations which involve wrapping up in warm woolly clothing and tucking into a huge roast dinner. The main Christmas meal here in New Zealand consisted of cold meats, fish, salads and of course a lot of alcohol, probably the only similarity to my celebrations back home.

I'd started my Christmas celebrations a few days earlier by doing the one activity I was determined to do before I left New Zealand, the Nevis Bungy, Australasia's highest Bungy jump, and what and experience it was. Words can not describe the amazing feeling of adrenaline running through my body after I had done it. I'm not going to lie, but there was a time while I was getting prepared to jump that I asked myself 'what on earth was I thinking?', but I am so glad I did it. Something I will never forget.

On one of the days between Christmas and New year, William, Janice and myself joined Kathy and Dale, the couple who had helped find me this job in New Zealand, and their children on a boat on the Te Anau lake. The weather was gorgeous and the scenery was amazing and it was lovely to take some time out to chill and simply enjoy the New Zealand style of celebrating Christmas, something I could get used to.

With new year now over, I sadly have to start my final working month in New Zealand. It's scary to think how quick the time has passed, but I'm simply going to enjoy every second of my remaining time here, just like I have enjoyed the previous five months.

H x