..since my last birthday, the big 3 (http://www.deltanik.com/index_geb.htm) and -this year's day has been quite different. While I gathered all my good old friends around me last year for several days, my 31st birthday started out as one normal workday on the vinyard. No, that's not true: my campground neighbours and collegues  Maria + Jan sang 'Happy birthday' to me in czech AND in german, at 6:30am...

Even though I felt lonely the eve of my birthday, I was more than surprised what Sarah, Pete, Son, Maria and Jan came up with!!! 

Sarah, my 'vinyard superviser' had made a yummy chocolate cake and brought it out to work...a nice feast for the next few lunch breaks - or "smokos" how they are called in kiwi. In the evening, Pete and Sonia had invited me and my friends for dinner,  the plan was to got to the "winterfest" in town afterwards and see the public fireworks. But we were late and missed them... So Pete spontaneiously decided to dig for his "BIG BOOM BOX" and start a private firework for me...

My first birthday in winter...
Only a few daysbefore, a massive snow front had hit Central Otago which transformed everyting into a fantastic winter fairytale. In saying that...making the trip home from work was rather an adventure than a fairytale - the 45min trip took us 3,5 hours. We could not work for a few days, which -financially seen- was pretty tough, but from the tourist point-of view a great chance to explore the mountains...