This past weekend was my orientation group to Doubtful Sound. It was so wonderful to see everyone again and catch up on all of our stories and adventures. We spent Friday night at a backpackers hostel in Te Anau. I went there a few weeks ago when I did my glow-worm caving and Milford Sound trip. It was Lauren's birthday (my friend from Portland, Oregon), so we spend Friday night at midnight celebrating until the early hours of the morning.
We woke up early Saturday morning to a wonderful breakfast provided by Butler (Butler trips always provide amazing food), hoped onto a bus and headed over to Lake Manapouri where we would get a boat to take us to the Doubtful Sound. The ferry ride over was beauiful. We were sailing on Lake Manapouri while surrounded my huge mountains with snow-capped peaks - a completely different view than what I had last time I visited. Last time it was not snow season yet and the mountains weren't as beautiful.
Saturday consisted of a gorgeous boat trip around Milford Sound, along with kayaking the Sound, and jumping off the boat to go swimming! Saturday we ate the most delicious meal - salmon, beef, lamb, pasta salad, sweet potatoes, roasted stuffed peppers, chocolate cake, cheesecake, fruit salad...yeah the list goes on. Realized: I really despise smoked foods. It ruined the salmon for me, which was disappointing considering I have not eaten salmon in months.
Saturday night was more celebration of Lauren's existence in the world.
Sunday we went to a farm to do activities like cow milking and sheep shearing.
It was actually a very bizarre experience.
We watched sheep dogs herd the sheep by listening to simple signals from his owner. We were given the chance to separate the sheep, which was one of the most difficult tasks I have ever experienced. Sheep are not too bright, and it is difficult to make them do what you want them to do. Alas, it was a fun experience.
Then came the sheep shearing. I was all ready to go, very excited about it - until they did a demonstration. They held this sheep down in front of us - it was all twisted, and his head was squished between the man's legs, and then he took out this motor-blade and started shearing. The sheep was kicking and looked very uncomfortable. When he was done, he pushed the sheep down a shoot and brought out another one. Now it was our turn. After watching two people try it, I decided I really did not want to do it anymore. I know that it needs to happen, that it doesnt actually hurt the sheep, but I could not do it.
One of the sheep was bleeding everywhere because one of the kids messed up, and the other one just looked so sad....plus it was such a tourist event. If I were WWOOFing and they were like, "Sarah - it is your job to shear the sheep." I would do it. I would it as gently as possible and get it over with. But this just seemed wrong. It was about twenty or so Americans standing around a stage taking turns shearing sheep. I don't know. I really just did not enjoy it. I had to leave. I couldn't handle it.
Afterwards the farmers took us to a field with 2,000 sheep in it. That is not an exaggeration. We ran through the field of sheep for about twenty minutes. Again, it just felt so bizarre. I had run. I will admit - it was liberating almost, running through 2,000 sheep in a little town in New Zealand, but it just felt so touristy.
It was by far the most touristy thing I have done yet, this whole weekend.
Fun and beautiful, but definitely not the best weekend I have had. I did not like so much going around with a group, I prefer to do things on my own agenda.
Enjoy the day, everyone!

written by  Kiwi-Travels on May 19, 2008 from Te Anau, New Zealand
from the travel blog: I'm going to live as a New Zealand Kiwi for six months!
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save the sheep for me cousin!

(and the ducks)

written by  Cousin Deschenes on June 6, 2008

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