PLACES+OF+THE+HOMELAND

media type="file" key="arrow river memory recording.mov" width="300" height="300"media type="custom" key="5652905" =ARROWTOWN =

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The autumn colours look firey on the hills that surround me as i sit on the veranda with the intense purple of Wisteria that droops over the edge of the roof, the colours around me are surreal, its the perfect setting. Even though i have been here in my favourite chair hundreds of times before, everything always seem to be changing and different, the one thing that doesn't change is our 'Crib', family memories will forever stay in bedded in this house that my dad spent his holidays in growing up. ======  My family gathers here from all over New Zealand, although there is on two and one quarter bedrooms somehow we all fit, but i get stuck with either the 'Nun Cell' which is about the size of a single bed or in the same room with my parents with dad snoring all night long.

Many, many games of family backyard cricket have been played on the grass that confines the Crib. Today is no different, with the sun low in the cloudless sky, it is the perfect conditions for backyard cricket. I drag my older brothers out onto the homemade pitch, of course my oldest brother ends up batting after a few punches being thrown, i get forced into fielding (being the youngest i don't get a say). After Henry being out a couple times but manages to talk himself out of it, the rest of the family begin to migrate to the cricket pitch this is when it all starts to get very competitive, i watch as everyone else but me gets a bat. The ball comes flying towads me, i am finally into bat!! The first ball comes soaring in and typically i hit high and softly, it lands on the six metre and six metre wide hedge that seems like a magnet to any type of balls. My brother is convinced to to get on top of this mammoth hedge and retrieve the ball well the rest of the family retire to the house for a drinks break. The ball gets found and the game carries on late into the night until it becomes near impossible to see the ball.

 Lying in bed i am hot, sweaty, tired and sunburned, but i wouldn't have it any other way! = **ARROWTOWN HISTORICAL ** = After the first European settlers established high country farms in the Wakatipu area gold was found in the nearby rivers. In 1862 Jack Tewa found gold in the Arrow River, within weeks 1500 people had gathered on the river banks. Tents and shanties arrived on the river bank which were masted away in 1863 by flooding and many lives were lost, after the disaster the town was built more solidly and was developed into a gold mining community/town which included hotels,a bank, a post office, gaol/jail, school and a hospital.