Where to next?

So after being in Dunedin for a couple of days and taking a look around have headed down to Gore to stay with my half-sister Andrea for a bit. Not a lot to do in Gore but there was some stuff to see. Took a look at the bird park and the pioneer-heritage village. Saw the big fish...went to the supermarket. Talked with the family.

Dunedin was ok. Stayed at Penny's which was alright. Ended up out on Thursday night - a smallish bar in the downtown. I do not think much was happening as far as night life goes, as the Uni was not back in yet...but it was fine. Would have liked to take more of a look around the Art Gallery but the Museum was ok (n.b. only freebies in Dunedin apparently). Did not spend a lot of time there either which was unfortunate. Had to rush around the place it felt like. I would think 3 days in town would be enough but after spending a day going around the shops and then other odds and ends it really was a whistle-stop tour. Although I have been pretty tired this last week or so...perhaps it is just me.

Arrived into Invercargill yesterday about 6 pm after missing my bus in the morning. Stayed in the hostel in town last night but will be heading off to do some couch surfing this afternoon. Then probably over to Te Anau and up to Queenstown. I think John has gone fishing.

Nothing much to add. Still in Roxburgh despite plans to leave since Friday just gone (5 days now). Am planning with a friend though to head to Ibiza in August which should be good. Apparently there are a couple of other girls she knows coming too. I have not met them but she has said they are nice so will trust that. I think Ibiza will be really great.

Off to Dunedin tomorrow for a couple of days and then to Gore to stay with my half-sister Andrea and my half-brother Joe lives there also so that will be good. And then to Invercargill where I will couch surf with a nice-looking couple and there 2 young kids.

It is super windy here today and according to most accounts the season was a bust (because of the rain). Living in a small town/community has taught me some stuff. I have always liked big cities and the way people are with one another when you all know each other it is quite different. Not neccesarily bad but I wonder how much getting used to it would take me. We were here for 2 months and in that time I feel like things could get sticky - but who am I to say.

Travelers beware! Sometimes I feel as though maybe I can handle a tough situation I see coming at me. Most of the time I can - and I get through it relatively unscathed. Other times (more rarely) I can not. This is a story about one of those times.

I have been in Roxburgh since the last day of November last year. While I can say it is not such a bad place small towns are not really for me. Nothing against them - I just prefer a big city. Places to go, people to see. Plenty to do. A lot more than just a single main street and in this case a whole bunch of orchards. One of which I worked on apple thinning.

The job itself is not so bad. The ladder proved to be a test after I fell off it. But that is another story. The problem is an employer that tries to take your pay from you for no good reason. And then tries to intimidate you when you go to get it back. It is not like I went in there today looking for a fight. In fact I decided that I would go into the office like a diplomat - calm and ready and open to negotiation. Boy was that a waste. Yelling at me (apparently they were not screaming) and accusations followed by a bunch of rubbish and more made up lies. What a piece of work the boss there is.

So after him agreeing to "look at the situation" and now I have to go back and find out what will happen next (big surprise there) we will see what happens. My hope is that he will pay what he owes and I will not have to speak to any of them ever again. Although there is that email I sent off to the Department of Labor just today.

Other than that the future looks some what positive. I have enough money to travel both islands (then probably head back to Oz) and hopefully will leave soon. Unless can get some work here - John wants to stay and find another job (his finished up last week) but I feel I am done with it. And that we can travel Southland area and head back here for start of apple picking. Which I will not do; but it will give me the time I need to finish my TESOL course on-line.