Day 5: Feelin' Alive
Today we had our first "down day" as the conditions on Mount Hutt were not ideal. Our adrenaline junkies were left far from wanting though as our first activity provided them with their fix. We traveled to Alpine Jet Thrills, a jet boat operator located on the Waimakariri River. Kitted out head to toe in their ski gear, students boarded the boat which was powered by a 700 horse power engine, and boy did it have a kick! The very skilled driver began to fish tale down the river, travelling through the canyon often getting a little too close to the jaggered, rocky walls for comfort. The signal was given and the students braced for the G-Forces and freezing spray of water that came with the whizzing 360s that saw us spinning down the river. Despite the gloomy weather, the gleeful squeals of our students could be heard echoing off the canyon walls. Meanwhile, in a more serene part of the river, those waiting their turn took to skipping rocks across the pristine blue surface of the water. Keegan came out on top with a record seven skips.
To lower the heart rates, the next activity was a farm show. Farmer Chris had a number of demonstrations to help us understand the life of a sheep farmer in New Zealand. We began out the back of the shed with four sheep and two dogs. Chris introduced the commands he uses to direct his dogs and then tasked Zac with the job of getting the dogs moving. Neither responded, even when he added 'please' to his commands. It was only after a lot of shouting that Chris pointed out that the dogs are trained only to respond to his voice. Then Blue and Flynn were sent out to herd the sheep through a gate. They listened to Chris, and completed the task with ease. As a point of comparison Zac and Jacob were then sent out into the field and the group was asked to direct them to replicate the job. It didn't take long to appreciate why dogs are used for this job, and humans are not. In the pen next to the sheep, Chris had three alpacas and the students jumped at the opportunity for a photo with them, especially after learning that they do not actually spit. It was then time to move inside for a interactive shearing demonstration. Chris showed students the various tools that could be used to get the job done, at which point Emily Coleman exclaimed "I wish you could shear people" much to the confusion of those around her. A sheep was brought out and the shearing began using the electric clippers. Before the sheep was done, Chris switched to the manual shears to illustrate the difference in technique and also the finished product. After working on a small patch, students were invited to come up to the stage and give it a go for themselves, and though they did a great job as first timers, none were offered jobs.
After a busy morning, stomachs were grumbling and it was off to The Famous Sheffield Pie Shop for lunch. A variety of fillings were sampled including venison, butter chicken and some brave students even opted for the lamb's fry and bacon option. For many, it was hard to stop at one, and it wasn't long before a cue formed at the counter for round two. It was then off to Hornsby for some retail therapy. Some took this as a chance to walk off their lunch, others shopped up a storm! Laden with shopping bags and smiles, the students returned to the bus for the trip back to Methven, however, not before a quick stop at the famous Cookie Time outlet where they purchased some sweet treats to replenish their snack supply for the coming days on the slopes.
On the drive back to Methven, snow was spotted on the ground at the Mt Hutt turnoff which caused some excitement in the bus. We were dropped off at Ski Time for a quick change before we donned our finest winter woolies and braved the chilly winter rain to dine at local Methven cafe, Arabica, where gourmet burgers went down a treat. Some opted to catch the local bus home, while others embraced the cold and enjoyed the walk back to the lodge.
To lower the heart rates, the next activity was a farm show. Farmer Chris had a number of demonstrations to help us understand the life of a sheep farmer in New Zealand. We began out the back of the shed with four sheep and two dogs. Chris introduced the commands he uses to direct his dogs and then tasked Zac with the job of getting the dogs moving. Neither responded, even when he added 'please' to his commands. It was only after a lot of shouting that Chris pointed out that the dogs are trained only to respond to his voice. Then Blue and Flynn were sent out to herd the sheep through a gate. They listened to Chris, and completed the task with ease. As a point of comparison Zac and Jacob were then sent out into the field and the group was asked to direct them to replicate the job. It didn't take long to appreciate why dogs are used for this job, and humans are not. In the pen next to the sheep, Chris had three alpacas and the students jumped at the opportunity for a photo with them, especially after learning that they do not actually spit. It was then time to move inside for a interactive shearing demonstration. Chris showed students the various tools that could be used to get the job done, at which point Emily Coleman exclaimed "I wish you could shear people" much to the confusion of those around her. A sheep was brought out and the shearing began using the electric clippers. Before the sheep was done, Chris switched to the manual shears to illustrate the difference in technique and also the finished product. After working on a small patch, students were invited to come up to the stage and give it a go for themselves, and though they did a great job as first timers, none were offered jobs.
After a busy morning, stomachs were grumbling and it was off to The Famous Sheffield Pie Shop for lunch. A variety of fillings were sampled including venison, butter chicken and some brave students even opted for the lamb's fry and bacon option. For many, it was hard to stop at one, and it wasn't long before a cue formed at the counter for round two. It was then off to Hornsby for some retail therapy. Some took this as a chance to walk off their lunch, others shopped up a storm! Laden with shopping bags and smiles, the students returned to the bus for the trip back to Methven, however, not before a quick stop at the famous Cookie Time outlet where they purchased some sweet treats to replenish their snack supply for the coming days on the slopes.
On the drive back to Methven, snow was spotted on the ground at the Mt Hutt turnoff which caused some excitement in the bus. We were dropped off at Ski Time for a quick change before we donned our finest winter woolies and braved the chilly winter rain to dine at local Methven cafe, Arabica, where gourmet burgers went down a treat. Some opted to catch the local bus home, while others embraced the cold and enjoyed the walk back to the lodge.
