Wesley Olea’s customers could hear him coming a block away – and they certainly weren’t complaining.
The New Zealand Post courier travelled everywhere with music, resonating either from his van or from a speaker he carried on his bike, depending on the day’s method of delivery.
“I’m from the Solomon Islands, you know, we love our reggae there,” he laughs. “Music makes the day go faster and makes the job itself more fun.” His cheerful tunes have made him a distinctive and popular personality with his customers over the years.
Wes has been in the region since winning a football scholarship to Nelson College 20 years ago. He’s been working as a postie and courier around the area for six years, and has been based solely in Motueka for most of the last year.
There’s a vibe about Motueka that reminds him of home, he reckons.
He was touched to receive cold drinks from customers on hot summer days, as well as gifts at Christmas time. “Motueka is the best, because of the people.”
The locals obviously love him back – when he posted on social media to say farewell to his customers after the New Year, he received message after message to say that his smile, singing and sunny attitude would be sorely missed.
He is grateful to his boss Tim, who gave him the job which, in turn, gave him the opportunity to meet his many customers – the best part of the job, Wes says. He has loved the work but says it is “pretty full-on”, with 4.30am starts and the delivery of more than 400 parcels each day in the lead-up to Christmas. He is ready for a change and is working at Talley's in the interim, planning to head back to the Solomon Islands for an extended period later in the year. He is signing off as the town’s “noisy, annoying and loud courier driver” – and Motueka will miss him.
