Home on the Horse Farm

Saturday I decided to check out the Hanmer Springs Thermal Resort. It was very relaxing and had a ton of pools to choose from, but it was so crowded. It was most likely because it was the weekend, but I had to fight for a spot in the hot pool and I nearly fell off my perch several times. The crowds started to thin later at night, but I’d had enough by then and left with them.

I really liked the hostel I was staying at in Hanmer Springs – it was very homey and cozy – but I didn’t particularly like my roommates. One girl who happened to have the bunk above me came in after we’d all turned in, climbed to the top, and tossed and turned for an hour before finally resting. The beds were metal and spring bunks, and she kept me awake the entire time. Then she was up at 7am the next morning (I know because she woke me up) and squirmed around in the bed for half an hour before climbing down. I wondered what on earth she was doing up there?

My other roommate was an older woman. I always think it’s strange when older people stay at hostels. I think why not treat yourself and stay at a hotel or at least if you’re staying at a hostel, splurge and get your own room for an extra $15-20. When I reach a certain age, I’ll be damned if I’m sleeping on a bunk bed in a hostel on my vacation. She had also brought a dog with her who sat with its head in my lap while I ate dinner Saturday night despite my repeated attempts to shoo it away. She made no effort to deter him.

She had assured me, probably after seeing my displeased face, that the dog wouldn’t be in the room at all. Damn right, I thought. I’m not paying to stay at a kennel. However, when I stepped out of the shower yesterday morning, the dog was running around the room. She quickly pulled him outside after seeing me. I think she thought the room was empty. Still, how inconsiderate can you be? Even if I was a dog-lover, which I’m not, I’m sure the owners wouldn’t appreciate dog hair everywhere. So my hostel would have been great if it weren’t for all of the other boarders. Damn people.

I had seen a sign at my hostel for work available in exchange for accommodation and keep at Hanmer Horses. For some reason I have always romanticized the notion of working on a horse farm so I seized this opportunity. I was delighted to learn that there was no minimum stay so I could work as few or as many days as I wanted. I ventured out to Hanmer Horses yesterday and worked for the day in exchange for a room, meals, and free horse rides. I confirmed after one day what I’ve always assumed but this time suppressed – I am just not cut out for the farm. It actually wasn’t the work that bothered me so much – I can do manual labor – it was the incessant sand flies buzzing around my head and attaching themselves to me like leaches. They are the kind of flies that make you want to dive head first into a vat of insect repellent. They made any normal activity difficult and frustrating. As I washed out buckets at the end of day one, I counted at least six flies attached to the wisps of my loose hair. I decided I’d stay and work today and tomorrow and then move on. I probably could have held out longer, but I have less than two weeks in New Zealand and there’s plenty I still want to see on the South Island.

Besides, my hosts, Jean and Ron, are a bit strange. They’ve only been married for 10 years or so, which according to Ron “isn’t very long,” and are both originally from England. I get the feeling that Ron wishes he were elsewhere most of the time, mostly because he flat out said, “Horses are not my thing,” and doesn’t seem to know very well what he’s doing, though they’ve owned this business for years. I don’t think his wife nor Americans are quite his thing either as he made some off-color remarks regarding both. I suppose Jean keeps him around to take care of the hard labor and to refurbish the farm. As a husband, he seems fairly unresponsive, and their interactions, hardly affectionate, were almost painful to witness.

Another thing, the house has no power during the day. I didn’t know this yesterday as I tried turning on the light in the bathroom and ended up having to pee in the dark. Only between 6pm and 10pm is there any electricity in the house. I guess it’s one way of cutting costs.