When the adrenaline takes over

While this season has been unprecedentedly busy (I'm talking down 16 staff and up 43% guests in December) we've been working absolutely flat-fucking-tack. Six day weeks if you're lucky or two-three weeks straight if you're unlucky.

And it shows, injury rates are way higher than they have been in other years. Concussions, bronchitis, sprained, strained and torn knee ligaments are commonplace. There has even been an aneurism and a potential case of meningitis (worst case scenario) or severe viral infection (best case scenario). Basically, we've been absolutely destroyed. Our bodies are tired and we've been paying for it big time.

As soon as one person gets injured or sick it puts more strain on the rest of the workforce which, in turn, results in further exhaustion proving injury.

The other day I snapped at work. I almost never say no to work and I always feel obliged to work because, well, I'm at work. But this day in particular I said 'nope, nope, fucking nope'. And my supervisors couldn't figure out why. Maybe because I am tired. 

I am tired of working non-stop, I am tired of putting everything I have into work with little in return, I am tired of feeling like a pawn in your commercial game, I am tired of no gratitude and high expectations, I am tired of having no time or energy to ski for myself.

It doesn't matter that I just got my first two days off in a row since early December. That doesn't fix the damaged cartilage in my knees, the heavy legs or mental drain.

It's at this point that the love starts to wane and the passion begins to look a little less bright.

What do you do when something that gives you life and hope and happiness starts to sour before your eyes?

Skiing, for me, might as well be a person. The sheer joy and obsession I find in skiing is akin to that of a heady crush. I think about it constantly, replaying moments that we've shared together over and over, counting down the moments until I can feed the addiction. I can see the beauty even in the grey and miserable.

And maybe that's what I need to remember. I am here for the sheer love of skiing. No matter what happens at work, no matter how much I get in my pay check, no matter how much I want to quit and cry and get frustrated.

I am here for the feeling of incomprehensible joy when you feel the g-force in a massive carving turn or when the powder spills under your feet and caresses up over your body. When you stomp a trick you've been killing yourself on. When you scrape past a tree and the adrenaline takes over.

I am here for when the adrenaline takes over.

Redneck Country

Anyone who has had the misfortune of meeting me hungover will be well aware that I cannot make a decision to save-my-FUCKING-life.

Maybe, a slight dramatisation... But then again, as I pointed out to a friend the other day I can be a little melodramatic at the best of times (it is my background).

But here's the deal:

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY LIFE?

It's a question I regularly ask myself and, no doubt, a question that a large majority of people ask themselves frequently.

For realsies though, I know I need to be back in New Zealand in early June which means I have 2 months of frittering around somewhere in the world to enjoy.

The current plan is to spend a little under a month driving around Canada on an unplanned and, probably, unrecommended road trip with my family. I love you all but goddamn, someone-gon'-get-dead... Nah, not really, just me being dramatic again. And then another 3 weeks pissing about and getting pissed in and around Southern USA.

TENNESSEE. ALABAMA. MISSISSIPPI. TEXAS.

Y'all, imma get a southern drawl, some cowboy boots and go to a muthafuckin rodeo.

So, while I'm not hungover, this is the best plan I have... God knows it'll have changed by next Tuesday.

Canada

So, this is Canada.

I really like skiing xx

A long while later...

In the meantime of the last post until now I have: got a new roommate, turned 21, finished Queenstown winter, moved from Queenstown to Whakatane, got a job at a strawberry farm, started getting fit, went on a school camp, went to Wellington for 24 hours, moved to Canada, got into a serious car accident, started work as a ski instructor and spent the last two days upside down in powder having the best time.

It's been great. xx

Itchy feet & six day weeks

This post is almost pointless. It's pointless in the fact that I haven't planned it, probably won't edit it and will hold almost nothing of substance or importance.

Without further ado, pointlessness!

Remarkables sunrise

Yesterday was my day off, why I didn't properly plan and write a blog post yesterday is because I was too busy doing absolutely nothing. I watched hours of Suits 4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and two movies (McFarland, USA 3.5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️✩ and The Longest Ride 2/5⭐️⭐️). Now it's just gone 7am and I'm on my way to work very shortly (in fact, I should've left already but I've decided to go in a bit later).

While I was using my singular day off (we're working 6 day weeks due to high business levels) for pure escapism I did indeed feel the need to escape. Escape to; the warmth of springtime, swimming, riding horses, eating fresh fruit, digging my toes into the sand, daylight until 10pm.

Recently a person by the name of Deni posted an extremely valid reminder in a community forum about the importance of looking after each other in winter months. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a full-on thing - depression brought on during autumn and winter thought to be due to lack of light. It is a timely update especially as seasonal staff who spend double the amount of time in winter.

This is how I'm going to try to look after myself:
💟 Do exercise
💟 Eat good food
💟 Be kind to myself
💟 Sleep lots
💟 Surround myself with people I love

That's it, that's all.
xx

June Favourites

This song! I live in winter permanently and it makes me feel like I'm in Hawaii with a warm breeze kissing my skin... 

I found the song above on 8tracks.com in a playlist called beach and sun.

Continuing the Hawaii theme at a Hawaiian party! I almost never have photos taken of me and even more, photos that I like.

Aloha!

Oooh! I have a new camera! Which I am totally in love with (and that took the photo above). If you're in the market for a new camera, here it is!

As is the case with the internet, I randomly found Caroline Calloway's Instagram and absolutely fell down the rabbit hole! Her Instagram is so awesome, I definitely recommend reading all the way from the start.

Gala Darling is always my first port of call for good feels on the internet. She has so many fantastic posts, and she's a Kiwi! Bonus!

Everyone already knows who Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter is but if you've seen her on YouTube and not read her blog yet, go ahead and indulge with that first link!

Of course, Louise's partner in crime is the effervescent Zoella who also has a blog but isn't as updated as regularly. Worth a look for pretty pastels and a stretch in luxury. 

More Instagram delights!

Carin Olsson

Nicole Warne

Jessica Stein

Last but not least, this is my view from home. I will never get over it. 

Vietnam

A day by the river. Hoi An, Vietnam. 

After finishing work in Niseko, Japan I spent six weeks travelling through Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam. While I had travelling buddies in Japan and Taiwan; I flew solo to Vietnam and spent 3 weeks going from south to north by myself. I managed to spend all of my money (running out in Kuala Lumpur airport on a 10 hour layover), have my phone stolen by a crack addict in a hostel in Da Lat (then get it back) and be terrified for about 100% of the time.

Even now when people ask if it was worth it I'm still unsure. It was, hands down, the scariest thing I've done. Yet, I'm planning my next trip at the moment, probably not solo this time, but it definitely hasn't scared me off travelling in any way. I love the photos I have and in an extremely cliche fashion, I did meet some fun people, saw some sights and had experiences I will never forget. These photos I have are the most vibrant and colourful images of a nation that is relentless in it's explosion of sound, smell, taste and sight.

Unfortunately, due to my phone (where I take all photos) being stolen and wiped clean, I have very few photos of Vietnam before Da Lat - approximately 6 days into my trip. The photos I do have are taken from my Instagram (@iammereana - shameless plug) or Facebook which has reduced the quality of them. 

Canal boats. Mekong Delta, Vietnam. 

A new road, Da Lat, Vietnam. 

Family home at the farm. Da Lat, Vietnam. 

Farm shed. Da Lat, Vietnam.

Easy Rider is a well established motorbike guiding tour operating throughout Vietnam. I was fortunate enough to have the founder's son as my guide and he showed me the Da Lat surroundings including his family farm as pictured above.

Restaurant and homes. Da Lat, Vietnam.

Colourful buildings are everywhere in Vietnam. The call for optimised space means tall and thin are the way to go. Influence from French settlers is also obvious in Da Lat and Hoi An architecture.

Bold buildings. Hue, Vietnam. 

Organising a photo. An island off Nha Trang, Vietnam. 

Main beach. Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Nha Trang was a crazy place. It is known as the party capital of Vietnam with Russian tourists coming down for their sunny getaway as well as a major stop off for young backpackers and a hub for international staff too. Due to all the tourists as a target, Nha Trang also has quite a high crime rate (I did become a statistic), but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Bougainvillea lined streets. Hoi An, Vietnam.

Hoi An was my favourite place in Vietnam without a doubt. The temperature was much more manageable here and the entire place felt safer and quieter. Hoi An is renowned for it's cheap and fast tailor made clothing. I was already running out of money when I got here but had an item created from the hilarious Kim who told me off for drinking my money away in Nha Trang (and not spending it in her shop).

A shop that appeared to exclusively sell bird cages. Hoi An, Vietnam.

Mobile fruit shop. Hoi An, Vietnam.

These two came up to me and asked for a photo. At first I thought they meant they wanted a photo with me (not unusual in Vietnam) but it transpired they wanted me to take a photo of them which then meant I should buy fruit off them - I didn't arrive yesterday ladies! (But seriously, if you'd met me on my first day you could have taken everything).

Canal boats. Hoi An, Vietnam. 

Boats in a row. Hoi An, Vietnam.

In total I travelled over 1,700km from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. I went via night buses, despite, somewhat unwisely, reading terrible reviews online a couple of hours before getting on my first one. I had relatively good experiences with all of my buses but it's not the funnest way to travel. I've found people only bother to write reviews when they had a bad experience...

Book exchange. Hoi An, Vietnam. 

House. Hoi An, Vietnam.

Village from the bus window. Somewhere between Hoi An and Hue, Vietnam.

Frangipani in the Imperial City. Hue, Vietnam.

Rooftop cafe. Hanoi, Vietnam. 

Umbrella roof. Hanoi, Vietnam. 

Hang Gai (Street of Hemp). Hanoi,Vietnam. 

Instrument shop. Hanoi, Vietnam.

 Hanoi and Hoi An seemed to operate on a different frequency to the rest of Vietnam. Maybe it was because I was more comfortable and felt more in control by the time I rolled around to these cities but the combination of the climate, layout of the city and slightly less harassment on the streets (again maybe I was just used to it) meant I bonded with these cities a lot more. I would have liked to go further north to Sapa and Halong Bay but I had run out of money, time and patience with Vietnam.

Deserted Kuala Lumpur airport. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

I've become quite nostalgic while writing about my experience and could see the potential of returning again… Although that could just be itchy travel feet. See you soon, Vietnam?