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It looks like youngest_oab has a job for 6 months there. But he's currently in Japan.
Seems looks term accommodation is a 'bit challenging' there. And I can't seem to find stuff on the interwebs either about places to rent or what to look out for.
One thing I'm reading is a running theme of 'get your accommodation before you turn up'.
If he can't get accomodation for the 6 months, there's loads of jobs elsewhere...
Not Queenstown but Abigale has just moved into some shared in Rotoura.
She found putting an advert on Facebook worked best for them.
I'm from there originally, but left in the early 90's- far back as I can remember, there's always been more jobs than accommodation, and accommodation changeover is always word of mouth. He could try living in a hostel, or at the camping ground out of town if it's still there- workers even living out of cars (not even vans) nowadays, but I'd not bother. Loads of other places to see and live in the country that offer a better life in my opinion- every time I go back I dislike more and more what the place has become.
I'm of the same view. There's other ace places to live and work the season, no point living badly.
But, if we can find him accommodation that would be ace. It's a solid job at a hotel, and he's got another interview on WhatsApp this week for bike hire place.
He's got three weeks before he lands in NZ, job starts a week after that...
Bump for day crowd
I was out there 10+ years ago. I stayed in Bumbles hostel for a week then found a room share.
The go to for jobs and accommodation then was a local free ads magazine, the name of which escapes me. I'd imagine that mag still exists in an online format.
It's a horrendous place to find long term accomodation, huge demand, high prices, lots of landlords doing tourist not long term lets for more cash etc. It was bad 8 years ago when I lived there for a bit, much, much worse now. I can't help with answers, I'd ask the employers if they have any ideas, links, options etc.
It was the same when I lived out there 20 years ago. Mate just come back who left Queenstown due to lack of accomodation. Great spot though!
My Brother lives in Arrowtown, I suppose he's fortunate that he's was able to buy some land and build his own house. Is the reason you are saying there's better places to be is because of the housing costs? He did say that the property prices have gone through the roof!
Sounds like Aviemore
Is the reason you are saying there’s better places to be is because of the housing costs?
Yes pretty much.
As an 18 year old with a love of mountains, hiking, biking and beer, and needing a bit of employment for a gap year, Queenstown is ideal...
Bump: Who knows South Island NZ?
Seems that Queenstown is indeed 'challenging' for accommodation.
So he has agreed to look further afield: perhaps Nelson, Wanaka, Christchurch. He needs work, some accommodation, access to the hills and mountains on days off. Christchurch has most accommodation and jobs, but somewhere like QT/Wanaka/Nelson offer more 'lifestyle' for the adventurous 18 year old...
Nothing useful to add other than I'm jealous of M_oaaJR and wish I was in Japan on my way to NZ!👍
Nothing useful to add other than I’m jealous of M_oaaJR and wish I was in Japan on my way to NZ!👍
So am I!
He is in Sapporo at the moment, so far ticked off a few Japanese alpine hut walks and a lot of city life. He has had beers with the local football team, played Magic the Gathering with random strangers, eaten more Ramen than strictly necessary and called us at 170mph on the Shinkansen....
I am helping look for jobs - last night I see an MTB tour company in Wanaka are after a hire bike/workshop manager for the season - and I was really, really tempted!
Sounds like he's having a great time. Where ever he ends up will be fine.
You’ve mentioned all the good places in the south, but has he thought about the north island ? I know that in the centre area they are having an amazing ski season, friends lad works at the Tukina Ski field place on Mount Ruapeho and they are crazy busy, obviously that’s past the half way mark of the season about now but might be worth considering ? Plus there’s an ever improving MTB scene around there and it’s not a million miles from Taupo and Roturua
I think he would consider North island - in fact he has a 'back stop' offer at an outdoor centre run by a friend, but it is a voluntary with accomodation offer, but he is keen / needs to earn some money to be able to afford a few weeks around NZ in April/May/June and a few weeks in Canada in July...
Been thinking a bit more, pretty sure I read that they are desperate for staff around Mount Cook, Tekapo, Twizel area, plus there’s plenty of mountains to climb out that way !
TBH, I'd head for Christchurch, maybe Nelson at a pinch. Winter's over, it's shoulder season and in the tourist spots all the jobs will disappear for a while. Christchurch will be easier to find work and somewhere to live. It's still rebuilding itself after the quake, is young and vibrant, and probably easier to make a start and save some money. Loads of mountain biking, a couple of minutes on google will show him if he's not already aware, plus loads of 'out there' riding within an hour or two's drive in the Alps and foothills.
An update: he has an interview today with a bike shop in Christchurch, an interview with a bike hire company in Nelson tomorrow and a hotel/hot springs place in Queenstown the day after.
The Queenstown job comes with accommodation - I could see that being a real win, but it is out of town.
The Christchurch bike job sounds really good, and my brother (Auckland resident and architect of the Christchurch rebuild) recons it is a winner over Nelson for access to other places on days off and a good lifestyle for a year out...
He's got a job just outside town, with accomodation in central Queenstown and limited use of a staff car.
That's a bit of a win...
A further update, in an attempt to make you all jealous....
He has completed first week of work in Queenstown - his employer and job seems great at a spa/hot tub resort, he is living in a nearly new, luxury 6-bed house in Lower Shotover and a mountain view from his room provided by employer, with use of a staff car (subject to him taking NZ test as a new driver from UK), has lovely housemates, a house cat, has a brand new Specialized Stumpjumper and is about to head up the mountains with his new bike on his first day off...and the sun has even been shining and they went out for a beer as (most) of a house last night...
*I* want to take a gap year in Queenstown....
If he is still there in March I'll say hi 🙂
FFS, so much for my prophecies of doom and gloom, well done, boys definitely fallen on his feet. Out of curiosity, where's he working/who for?
Looks like he's having a great time. 😎👍
As and when Abigale moves further south Ill put him on the radar and might treat her
She had to have a new cassette last week. How Much!. At least the trails are drying out and getting dusty
She's settling into the new job and thinking of applying for a longer visa to extend the trip
Not jealous at all*. Was out there for a few weeks way back in 2005. Great (hazy with time) memories.
Hope he's discovered Fergburger by now (southern swine FTW!). Jeez, it's still there but damn, it's got even more expensive. Also, the canyon swing is way more fun than the bungee IMO
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* this is a lie.
As an update: he's heading to the opening of Coronet Peak next weekend, and worked out that they do evening passes a couple of times a week and his work is nearly at the foot of Coronet Peak. So plan is to do early shift and then some laps....
That said, homesickness has kicked in with Christmas coming.
I'm still jealous.
Bit late now for your son but thanks to your post I've just worked out that I'm vicariously connected to the deputy chair of Queenstown Trails - I wasn't planning on looking them up but as Mrs dB & I won't have bikes with us it seems like an opportunity too good to be missed when we are there in March 👍
^ he looked at joining the club, but for a few months the fees are just too high.... 🙁
he looked at joining the club, but for a few months the fees are just too high…
When is he there till? I'm in Facebook contact with the deputy chairs wife & will see if I can put in a kind word for him if you want.
Edit- not sure if we're talking about the same organisation? https://queenstowntrails.org.nz/
Glad he's enjoying it. Think Abigale is heading south for a couple of weeks touring over the Christmas period but not sure where or if the bikes will be in the car.
She is still having to pinch herself that she landed her dream job working on the trails but it will probably slow down her journey
We posted a couple of parcels out last week with a few presents for Christmas both less than 2 kg but still came in at over £70
Her dad told her she could buy an advent calendar and send him the bill as he has always bought one for her.
Didn't take her long to chose it
I approve of that! Excellent choice of advent calendar.
Indeed, quality choice!
I will PM you about Ben in Queenstown - he might be up for a meet or perhaps even offer a bed in the staff house if housemates agree - there is one spare at present....
A wee bump of this thread.
He finished work yesterday and therefore lost his accomodation - but his housemates are having him sleep on the sofa. Don't tell the boss... Has a couple of days of beers and hanging out with workmates/friends, then the Routeburn Track solo, then heads to Brisbane. His shiny new bike is boxed and heading for a container - and will land at our house in about three months.
In Brisbane he is meeting a school friend who has blagged a cheap car - so they are spending 3 weeks exploring. Then head to Melbourne quickly to meet two more school friends and a fifth person who is friend of friend - and then spend another month meandering north again as he has booked a flight back out of Brisbane home...
Sooooooo jealouse.
It feels like we'll be following in his footsteps, fly out on Sunday to Christchurch & south island for 3wks, then on to Brisbane to spend Easter camping with my sister & family 😃
Sounds like he has had a great time and a bit more time exploring before he comes back 😎👍
Abigale has decided to try and extend her stay so has applied for a longer visa before she moves on further. She is busy at the moment helping build the track for Crankworx Rotoura
Rode the Coronet Loop out of Arrowtown today, probably the only day I'll get to ride a bike during our NZ visit, but 50k & 1500ft of climbing was none to shabby & my local contact lives 5k out of town & had a Scott Spark for me to borrow so it would have been rude not to 😁
...to Brisbane to spend Easter camping with my sister & family 😃
Prepare yourself. Easter for some reason is peak Bogan camping season. It can also be very wet weather too. Hopefully not this year.
Prepare yourself. Easter for some reason is peak Bogan camping season. It can also be very wet weather too. Hopefully not this year.
Yeah, a lot of places were booked up but she's been there 30+ years & her "Bogan" son in law knows what he's doing 🤣
@matt_outandabout I live in Melbourne, give me a shout if you need any help or advice 👍
@mrjmt - noted. I've actually got an aunt and 3 cousins in Melbourne so he should be good. He's currently in Brisbane living in a Quaker guest house and doing cash in hand gardening work and simple DIY for a load of old folk his host knows... 😁 he's not far from @reeksy who I've been in touch with.
The car trip isn't going to happen - they've not the budget for a decent enough vehicle and costs, so the bus and trains are going to have to suffice...
Sounds like he's having a great time
Yep - some challenges, as travelling always is, but that is the great part of it as well...
His pal has invited him to cycle from Bilbao to Dunblane as a last thing to do (pal has family in Bilbao and they both live in Dunblane). If son_no3 does not take up the offer, I might!
Big finale then 👍
Abigale has just done 12 months and has now extended the visa for 2 more years before moving on so I may get to ride with her.
Crankworx this week so it's going to be busy
If anyone is interested this is the coronet loop
^ Coronet was son_no3's trail at the door of his workplace. Apparently Thursday nights are the locals fun laps...
I go bogan camping. We have a fridge and a pizza oven.
Counts for nothing if it's not full of Bundy and coke.
The car trip isn’t going to happen – they’ve not the budget for a decent enough vehicle and costs, so the bus and trains are going to have to suffice…
That's a real shame.
I wonder if it's worth ringing around the rental firms to see if they need vehicles shifting south? Probably wrong time of year
They are both under 21 - so no go on any hire companies...
Ah, bugger.
And the car trip is on - just spoken to the boy.
A couple of weeks back they managed to get hold of an old Subaru Forester.
They went to a music festival (Rabbit eats Lettuce) and meandered down south. They're 2000km in, having traveled down from Brisbane to Melbourne and just left my wider family who stay in Melbourne.
They are trundling back up north via Blue Mountains and meeting some girl pals who are hopping on buses and more city & beach focussed, compared to my son and pal who want to climb some hills and bushwhack....
They're properly dirtbagging, sleeping in the car and washing at beach showers, in a 25 year old car with a broken spring, a coolant leak and no evidence of any fresh oil in a few years. What could possibly go wrong?
I'm still bloody jealous.
They'll be grand. I drove an old Triumph up and down the coast and all over Tas, out to the Flinders Range and all over... And there's a lot of old Forester parts in Oz.
But they can get an oil change pretty cheap easy enough.
So, the final update...
After my last post, they put the old Subaru through a rock, backwards. Met an amazing mechanic with an identical car in his scrap pile. Short story: he fixed the crash damage, a leaky radiator and exhaust and let them camp in his compound with a shower for the week while supplying beer and food, in return for some sweat labour 💪and cash. 👍👍👍
They then did head north, Blue Mountains, great barrier reef, skydiving etc.
Then on Thursday this week mrs_oab met middle son for a picnic lunch at work. Except the car had our eldest in as well. Just as she was commenting why was eldest there when he should have been in Edinburgh, the back door opened and youngest_oab stepped out...
Looks like he's had a great time. What's next
Abigale flys home tomorrow for a month before returning back to NZ for an extended stay.
He's off around various friends in the UK for a couple of weeks, then he's got some work and money to earn for uni as he is skint!
Mind you, there will be more playing as eldest_oab has a job in Aviemore for the summer, then will be in NZ looking for work for a couple of seasons... Does Abigale have an idea of bike ranger jobs which might come up....? He's used to helping run Trans-Savoie, a smidge of guiding, mechanic and first aid, and has a few weeks work on the NZ Rally he thinks...
Abigale flys home tomorrow for a month before returning back to NZ for an extended stay.
Enjoy!
I'll ask her when she gets back
So another chapter opens - eldest just handed in notice at work, booked his flights to Queenstown this morning, busy applying for jobs and chatting to ex-Edinburgh house mate who is already residing there for the season, eldest_oab will be there in 3 weeks!
What is it with NZ and QT in particular that these young people like?
Think it's called living the dream.
What's not to like?! I was there for the '99 winter season with a mate. We rented a house in Arrowtown as it was so hard to get accommodation in QT. Spent the whole winter on Coronet Peak, Remarkables, Wanaka, Treble Cone, .... and then 2 months touring once the spring came. Wish I'd stayed for the summer. Sometimes wish I'd stayed for good!
Seems to be a lot going on in QT* itself for the youth & the surrounding area is just stunning with loads of outdoorsy stuff to fill ya boots - old uni mate went & then stayed for so far 35+ yrs
* I found it a bit too s****y in places but that's just me being an old boring fart
How to celebrate your birthday:
1. Arrived in Queenstown and find a wee studio flat on the waterfront, with bike riding neighbours and landlord.
2. Hit the trails on your first day, ending up feeling confident enough to hit Dream Line.
I think the phrase 'living the dream' is appropriate...
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Mighty Matt..... Living the dream indeed !