Peach and Apple Packing, Panmure Hill Visit

Finally, we decided to quit our job at Panmure Orchard. We actually enjoy our time there, the job is not difficult, and we have a very comfortable working environment. Compared to our previous outdoor jobs, working in the packhouse is really a HEAVEN to us: we don't have to work weather-dependent, we have a cozy place for lunch and smoko, clean toilet, and microwave to heat up our food! However, good things never last long. Nectarines production is not as much as cherry and our working hour has been shortened too much. During the end season, we only work about 4 - 5 hours a day, and there's too many off days for us.

During our last day at Panmure Orchard, Shirley changes the fruits to apples and peaches. Well, at least we got to pack different fruit before we leave, hehe!

sweet sweet peaches

my work station - holding the dropped apples

During our last day, Shirley asked her daughter, Jacqui to bring us for their orchard visit. Panmure has few orchards located up the hill, we have to go up by a four wheel car, accompanied by two lovely dogs!

Yeah! Zeus and Zorro are excited to go gai gai!

Amazing view with amazing dog

We're truely amazed by Panmure Orchard, it's really huge! The whole hill belongs to them! 

Jacqui and Zorro

Panaromic view on top of the hill. We can see Clyde and Alexandra town from here

Besides cherry orchard, they have apples, nectarines, and peaches orchard.

Goodbye Panmure! Thanks for the lovely job but too bad it's time for us to move on for our journey. Panmure and Alexandra are places we stayed the longest, and we truely enjoyed our time here. Bye!

Otago Central Rail Trail

Otago Central Rail Trail is a 150-kilometre walking, cycling and horse riding track. For sixteen harsh winter and scorching summers, scores of stonemasons, labourers, blacksmiths, and enginners pushed through this 150km railway track from Middlemarch to Clyde.

In 1907,  the Otago Central Railway finally linked Clyde and the country's major goldfields with Dunedin, then New Zealand's largest city and a commercial powerhouse. By 1921, when the Otago Central Railway reached the railhead at Cromwell, the gold rush was over.

Finally, in 2000, Otago Central Rail Trail is officially opened. New Zealand DOC recognised that the remainder of the route to Clyde had potential as a recreational facility, and bought the formation after the rails and sleepers had been salvaged. Being New Zealand's first walking trail and cycleway, it's also the inspiration for the New Zealand Cycleways Project, launched and partially funded by government in 2010.

Janet and me decided to have a walk from Alexandra to Clyde during our off day. It is a 8km walk, and the weather is really good! We met some people cycling, jogging and walking their dogs. The scenery alongside the road is awesome.

passed by a huge vineyard with fruitful grapes

 

Besides alpacas, we also saw a horse with funny hair and color.

funny horse and his friend

white horse prince?

Another surprise is we found a tree with "chip n dale's nuts"!!

We managed to finish the 8km walk after 2.5 hours. Fresh air, beautiful view, playing with the horse.... it's really satisfying!