Paradise in Orange, NSW

2012年12月中,
跟著一群在Mudgee採櫻桃的工作夥伴們移動到了Orange,
很幸運的跟著Luca, Thomas 和 Ben到了一個小小天堂 - Orange Backpackers入住.
四人中除了我之外,都在池塘旁邊搭起帳篷.
而我, 對於要待一陣子的地方, 還是比較習慣住在屋簷底下.

這個Backpackers住的都是在這個季節來採櫻桃的朋友,
大家都非常好相處,而且生活習慣良好,
會特別說明是因為遇到過許多年輕小伙子,
有時晚上開趴, 隔天碗盤常常堆滿廚房,醒來後也不主動收好.
有來自美國的超級櫻桃採手夫妻Kip and Michelle, 法國雙胞胎Andrien, Jake 和其中哥哥的女朋友Helene三人檔, Charlene;
加拿大的Ben,Thomas, Alex和Sara. 義大利的Luca. 台灣的Donna和Andrew.

在這待了約一個月, 也是我在澳洲最快樂的一段時光.
工資被欠的無敵鳥事也遠不及我在這邊的自在快樂.

假想一下,
晴朗的午後時光, 艷陽從咄咄逼人轉為溫和可人,
澄黃色的日光豪邁的灑在廚房後院的大片葡萄園上,
此時的你, 正在悠哉的享受烹煮的樂趣,
隔著一層透明玻璃, 窗外數公里景色一覽無遺.

地勢相對高挑的後院擺了張簡單方便移動的白色桌椅,
烹調完畢, 把菜端上後院的餐桌,
再打開冰箱拎了瓶微冰的啤酒,
良辰, 佳餚, 美景, 一應具全.
更何況, 時有朋友互相分享食物, 旅遊心得,
聽到痛快處便舉杯相乾.
暢快! 真暢快!

起個大早, 漫步在葡萄園中看著日出光線自雲層中穿射而出.

早晨層次分明的雲層與池塘倒影

傍晚的新月 Evening new moon.

日出的火燒雲和池塘的的薄霧

傍晚的閃電, 天空還帶點亮度, 又很適合用長曝等待閃電, 是拍閃電的最佳時機.

After work fun time, surfing at pond. 下班後的娛樂活動-池塘衝浪!

正在戲水中的Jake.

聖誕夜派對 Christmas Eve Party 

Me, Ben, Alex, and Thomas. My Canadian buddies.

Let's start gift exchanging !!!  This was how the game played. Everybody had chance to draw a paper from the red hat to decide who the next person was to draw, when it was your turn, you could either choose a gift under the Christmas tree or to take other person's gift. If my gift was taken away, then I could either draw another paper or steal my present back. 
開始交換禮物!!! 遊戲的規則是每個人抽一張紙卡決定下一個抽籤的人, 然後可以選擇要從聖誕樹下挑一個新的禮物或是搶奪別人的禮物. 而禮物被搶奪的人則可以在抽籤決定下個人之後選擇開新禮物或是進行搶奪禮物.

Charline got my Christmas gift and photos, and I was holding my gift- swimming noodle from Ben !

Charline最後經過激烈的搶奪之後成為我的禮物得主, 而我得到了Ben的禮物-noodle chair,類似浮板的功能. 隔天採完櫻桃回到家就帶著我的noodle跑去池塘消暑了. 

After gift exchange, I gave my photos to everybody as my Christmas gifts. Claire, the host, started the first lucky draw. 

結束交換禮物之後, 我把我的照片洗出來當作是送給大家的聖誕節禮物. Claire第一個抽獎!

One of the kindest and most heartwarming host couple I've ever met in Australia. They are Peter and Claire.

我在澳洲遇見最棒的host夫妻之一. Peter and Claire.

Having a wonderful breakfast at yard on Christmas day.

聖誕節在前院擺桌吃早餐

Smoked turkey and chicken for Christmas lunch.

超級豐盛的聖誕節火雞與雞肉午餐

Ben is one of my best model !

The cherry season is over...
so we had some fun before we say goodbye.

Watching sunrise at Mt Canobolas. 

Group photo :) 

Hiking at Federal Falls in a morning. Actually we were under the waterfall, but there was no even a drop of water...

Jake, watch out ! 

Federal Fall Loop without fall.
Top row from left: Me, Jake, Andrien.  Bottom row: Helen, Pauline, Jeff

Now we are at the top of the water fall.

Andrien 

Then it's time for us to move on and enjoy days in Australia !