I was working in Hastings, picking apples. It was a very hard job, carry all day long a basket full of apples and a ladder, climb it to reach the top of the trees, I was more than exhausted every night. Sunny Hawkes Bay wasn’t sunny at all, apples were tiny and full of diseases, the bins were hard to fill, I wasn’t saving money at all.
At this stage, after 5 months in New-Zealand, I was running out of money so I was about to go back home, ending my trip without having seen the south island. And one day, I saw an ad of Seasonal Solutions on Facebook for grape harvesting in Central Otago. I’d already harvested grapes before, in France it’s very popular and very nice. I thought it could be a good experience that would give me the opportunity to visit a little bit the south island and maybe save a bit of money. So I put my stuffs in the rear of my car, took the road and 3 days later, I was in Cromwell, harvesting grapes under the sunshine, surrounded by the beautiful mountains and this amazing blue river, it was like paradise. I worked for Grape Vision, a local contractor, if one day you’ve got the opportunity to work for them, go for it, it’s one of the best. I had an amazing manager, the one who make you feel very good at what you are doing and unique. They paid us more than the minimum wage and than the others contractors around, they gave us gloves to protect our fingers and provided something to eat every morning’s smoko. And we had a ending party with a meal and drinks ! The job was pretty easy as the vines are higher here than in France and the people, mostly backpackers from everywhere like me but some local as well, were very friendly. We were working all together in four or six rows every day, we could chat and pick at the same time. I worked 3 weeks without a day off, it was a little tough but I did it and it was worth it, it was good money.
It was one of my best experience in New Zealand, I warmly recommend to anyone who likes working outdoor to try it.