Things have settled into a nice routine in my simple mountain life. Every day life at Staffies becomes more community oriented as bonds grow stronger.

Before arriving I was slightly sceptical at the prospect of having a roommate, however I have come to love sharing my space with Gabs, a bright, bubbly woman from Devon, England who has become the base of my travel family.

Down time is spent relaxing around the lodge, cuddling up to watch films or to enjoy one jam session or other that may be occurring.

Jamming night in our room

On the odd occasion work provides a free bus to Taupo, the nearest big town, for a change of scenery and any supplies we may need. A town with a population of less than 24,000 and which now feels so large in comparison to the place I currently call home. One of the best parts of these days is the scenery on route with Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand (big enough to fit the whole country of Singapore inside) most definitely being the highlight.

We have now fully settled into life at work, though unpredictable weather means waking up every morning without knowing what to expect from the day. With a mixture of cashier work, boot, ski and snowboard fitting, shoe and bag checks and sled sales, I can never complain about having a mundane, monotonous day. When each day begins with beautiful sunrises and landscape views, bus rides up twisting mountain roads surrounded by snow splattered rocks, I just couldn’t ask for more out of my life and travels right now.