Amores e amoras,
Vai ser difícil relatar este primeiro fim-de-semana, primeiro porque já passaram sete meses e segundo porque passaram-se tantas coisas que é complicado lembrar-me de tudo. Aqui vai...
SÁBADO
Madruguei mais uma vez, no dia 22 de Fevereiro, porque tinha o autocarro para Blenheim às 7h da manhã e não o queria perder. Apanhei um uber desde do Hostel porque não me apetecia percorrer 30min a pé, às 6h e tal da manhã e com todas as malas atrás de mim. O motorista do Uber era super simpático e ficou super feliz quando soube que eu era portuguesa.
Conseguem imaginar porquê? AMAVA o Cristiano Ronaldo...
Sabia tudo sobre ele e tinha comprado bilhetes VIP para um jogo nos próximos meses, estava mega excitado porque ia ver um jogo e depois do jogo ia poder tocar umas palavras com ele. Perguntei por curiosidade o preço do bilhete e era um preço super exorbitante, para estar uns minutos com o Cristiano. Custou-me a acreditar que esta admiração fosse tão grande que ele voasse da outra parte do mundo para conhecê-lo e ver um jogo dele, mas era verdade. Espero que mesmo com a pandemia, tenha conseguido ir...
Já na estação, estava um pouco ansiosa, mas passados uns minutos começaram a chegar mais pessoas e percebi que estava no sítio certo, só teria de esperar. Por volta das 7h o autocarro chegou e estava na altura de começar mais uma viagem. O motorista era super engraçado e contou-nos alguns factos interessantes (que já não me lembro) sobre o país e sobre os sítios por onde íamos passando. Parámos a meio da viagem, em Kaikoura. Uma cidadezinha bastante pequena, mas onde se podem encontrar bastante focas. Foi espectacular conseguir vê-las através da janela do autocarro, algumas focas a descansar na praia e alguns dos seus filhotes a brincar na areia ou no meio das rochas.
Só tivemos 30 minutos de pausa, que deu para ir até à praia e beber um café. Um destino onde tenho de voltar...
A próxima paragem era Blenheim. Mas durante toda a viagem ainda me custava a acreditar que estava na Nova Zelândia, no outro lado do mundo. A viagem foi longa, mas as paisagens eram magnificas.
A Gillian estava à minha espera na estação de Blenheim. Não a conhecia e quando estava a chegar lembrei-me que não fazia ideia como é que ela era. Por sorte o Gonçalo estava acordado e enviou-me uma foto... Já mais descansada, cheguei finalmente ao destino final e a Gillian lá estava, à minha espera. Ajudou-me com as malas e seguimos viagem para casa.
É engraçado como as primeiras impressões são sempre mais dramáticas. Blenheim pareceu-me uma cidade grande e confusa. Estava perdida ahahah
Cheguei a casa, a Nala (a cadela da Tiffany) estava à nossa espera. Foi bom ser recebida tão bem.
Carreguei todas as minhas coisas para o quarto, o quarto que tinha sido o antigo quarto do Çalo. De certa forma isso fazia-me sentir mais em casa, saber que aquele quarto tinha sido casa para um amigo.
Esse dia passou a correr. Entre arrumar todas as minhas coisas, ir às compras e conhecer os cantos à casa, sentia-me exausta, tanto que fui dormir super cedo.
Domingo ia ser um super dia, a Tiffany tinha-me comprado um bilhete para um concerto de uma banda Holandesa/Neo Zelandesa, os My Baby. O concerto era em Motueka e tínhamos decidido que íamos ao mercado de domingo e depois passávamos o dia por lá.
Lembro-me de ser um dia de muitas emoções, tinha chegado há menos de 48 horas ao país e já tinha mil e um planos...
DOMINGO
Nesse dia conheci a Tiff e uma amiga dela, a Hannah. Tivemos logo uma óptima conexão, principalmente porque elas me receberam super bem. Começamos a viagem em direcção ao mercado de domingo de Motueka. Eu não queria acreditar nas paisagens que estava a ver, tantas plantas diferentes e umas paisagens de cortar a respiração, era tudo tão impressionante... No caminho vimos algo que nos surpreendeu a todas, ovelhas a comer tomates. Parece algo estranho, por isso demos meia volta e fomos ver mais de perto. O contraste do vermelho dos tomates com o verde da relva era super wow e era super engraçado ver como as ovelhas comiam os tomates, especialmente porque nenhuma de nós tinha alguma vez visto algo assim...
O mercado era espectacular e comprei imenso legumes super frescos e baratos para as semanas seguintes. Adorei o mercado, tinha imensa coisa e era bastante grande. Comemos algo por lá e seguimos para uma praia espectacular, Kaiteriteri. Estava ansiosa para nadar no Oceano Pacífico, ou melhor, no Mar de Tasman... Lembro-me que a água estava fria, mas com o sol a brilhar e com a paisagem magnifica que me rodeava, a temperatura não importava. Depois do mergulho estava na hora de sobremesa e provei pela primeira vez os famosos gelados que elas tanto falavam, gelado de bagas frescas, e era realmente delicioso.
De volta a Motueka, fomos a uma prova de vinhos e depois comprar algo para comer e um pack de cerveja para beber antes de concerto. Provei a minha primeiras cervejas Neo Zelandesas e tenho a dizer que não desgostei, embora a conversa fosse mais interessante. Estava a adorar conhecer a Tiff e a Hannah e sentia, de alguma forma, que era ali que deveria estar.
O concerto era no auditório municipal, algo parecido com o pavilhão pequeno de educação física, na minha antiga escola. Impressionou-me a quantidade de pessoas mais velhas no concerto e a quantidade de hippies. Ao que parece Motueka tem uma das maiores comunidades Hippies na Nova Zelândia. Foi bom sentir a liberdade daquelas pessoas, desde de velhinhos até crianças, todos a divertirem-se e a dançarem ao som de My Baby. Adorei o concerto e o ambiente!!!
No final do concerto sentia-me exausta, mal entrei no carro e começamos a viagem de volta a casa, adormeci. Dormi quase a viagem toda, como um bebé.
No dia seguinte começava a trabalhar na Matua...
Todo o meu amor,
Maria
EN
My darlings,
It will be difficult to tell you about this first weekend, first because seven months have passed since and second because so many things happened that it is difficult to remember everything. Here it goes...
SATURDAY
I woke up super early again, on February the 22nd, because I had the bus to Blenheim at 7 am and I didn't want to miss it. I got an uber from the Hostel because I didn't feel like walking 30min, aournd 6am, especially with all my bags with me. The Uber driver was super friendly and was super happy when he found out I was Portuguese.
Can you imagine why? HE LOVED Cristiano Ronaldo...
He knew everything about him and bought VIP tickets for a game in the next few months, He was really excited because to go see the Juventus match and after the game he was going to be able to get to know the players and exchange a few words with them, especially with Cristiano. I asked, out of curiosity the price of the ticket, and it was a super exorbitant price, just to be a few minutes with Cristiano. It cost me to believe that he had such a big admiration the he was going to the other part of the world to meet him, but it was true. I hope that even with the pandemic, He managed to go...
At the station, I was a little anxious, but after a few minutes somepeople arrived and I realized I was in the right place, I just had to wait... Around 7 am the bus arrived and it was time to start another trip. The driver was super funny and told us some interesting facts (which I no longer remember) about the country and the places we were going through. We stopped midway through, in Kaikoura. A very small town, but where seals can be found. It was amazing to be able to see them through the bus window, some seals resting on the beach and some pups playing in the sand or in the middle of the rocks.
We only had a 30-minute break, which was to go to the beach and have a coffee. A place where I have to return...
The next stop was Blenheim. But during the whole trip I still found it hard to believe I was in New Zealand, on the other side of the world. The trip was long, but the landscapes were magnificent.
Gillian was waiting for me at the Blenheim station. I didn't know her and when I was arriving I remembered that I had no idea how she looked like. Luckily, Gonçalo was awake and sent me a photo... More relaxed, I finally arrived at the final destination and Gillian was there, waiting for me. She helped me with my bags and we went home.
It's funny how first impressions are always more dramatic. Blenheim struck me as a big, confusing city. I felt lost and Blenheim was not as big as it seemed to be.
I arrived home, Nala (Tiffany's dog) was waiting for us. It was nice to be received so well.
I carried all my things to the room, the room that had been Çalo's old room. In a way it made me feel more at home, knowing that that room had been home to a friend.
That day passed to fast. Between unpacking up all my things, going shopping and getting to know the corners of the house, I felt exhausted, so I went to sleep very early.
Sunday was going to be a super day, Tiffany had bought me a ticket for a concert to a Dutch/New Zealand band, My Baby. The concert was in Motueka and we had decided that we would go to the Farmers' market and then spend the day around there.
I remember being a day full of emotions, I had arrived in the country less than 48 hours ago and I already had a thousand plans ...
SUNDAY
That day I met Tiff and a friend of hers, Hannah. We had a great connection, mainly because they received me very well. We begin the journey early, towards the Farmers' market in Motueka. I didn't want to believe in what I was seeing, so many different plants and breathtaking landscapes, it was all so impressive... On the way we saw something that surprised us all, sheep eating tomatoes. It seems strange, so we turned around and went to get a closer look. The contrast between the red of the tomatoes and the green of the grass was super wow and it was super funny to see how the sheep ate the tomatoes, especially since none of us had ever seen anything like this...
The market was really cool and I bought a lot of super fresh and cheap vegetables for the following weeks. I loved the market, it had a lot of things and it was quite big. We ate something there and went to an amazing beach, Kaiteriteri. I was looking forward to swim in the Pacific Ocean, or better, in the Tasman Sea... I remember that the water was cold, but with the sun shining and the magnificent landscape that surrounded me, the temperature didn't matter. After the dive it was time for dessert and for the first time I tasted the famous ice cream that they were always talking about, natural fruit ice cream, I had the mixed berries one and it was really delicious.
Back in Motueka, we went to a wine tasting and then bought something to eat and a pack of beer to drink before the concert. I tasted my first Kiwi beers and I have to say that I didn't dislike them, although the conversation was more interesting. I was loving to get to know Tiff and Hannah and felt, somehow, that this was where I should be.
The concert was in the memorial hall, it seemed like the small pavilion where I had my sport classes, in my old school. I was impressed by the number of older people at the concert and the quantity of hippies. Apparently Motueka has one of the largest Hippie communities in New Zealand. It was good to feel the freedom of those people, from old people to children, all having fun and dancing to the sound of My Baby. I loved the concert and the atmosphere !!!
At the end of the concert I felt exhausted, as soon as I got in the car and we started the trip back home, I fell asleep. I slept almost the whole trip, like a baby.
The next day I would start my new job, at Matua ...
All my Love,
Maria
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