More Bay of Island aventures...

I bought the cutest yogurt maker! (http://www.easiyo.com/) Apparently it is totally common here - I picked it up in one of your average grocery stores in a rather on the small side town. You just add the mix and water, or milk and bit of yogurt you already have, to the small container, put boiling water in the big container, then put in the small, and wait 12-20 hrs! Easy!! And tasty!

Yesterday Mom and I went over to Keri Keri and got some green lipped muscles to take home and make - yum! We also stopped by The Wherehouse, which is kinda like WalMart - their bags say price rollback or some such thing, their stuff is super cheap (in both senses), and most of their employees are women of color. Ick. It was even in the NZ version of a stripmall, which in this lush, super green place is extra gross.

We had lunch at what looked like a cute little Japanese resturant. Mom knew I was jonesing for some nihon-riryoori! But unfortunately the food was not very good. There has been no place that serves any raw fish other than...salmon!!!! I thought I was going to have some great amazing new fish here on the COAST of an ISLAND nation!!! But no, salmon. FARMED salmon. I think there might be some sort of law or something, cuz it is weird weird weird!!! The salmon is actually pretty good. But the rest of it is ma-ma.

At one point on our journey I needed caffeine. So we pulled over to this cute little cafe and I ordered an iced coffee. Mom then asked the woman what was in it - which I thought was odd. Iced. Coffee. That means ice. And coffee. Makes sense right? Apparently, every where in the south pacific and many places here iced coffee actually means espresso poured over ice cream!!! Oh, it was good. A new addition to the menu at the hut of evil, to be specially requested!!

We also stopped by the place that is very famous for natural cosmetics and other skin care from New Zealand ingredients, Living Nature. Scrummy. I had oh about NZ$150 of products in my bag when I remembered...house! Money all goes to house!! I put them back, with a bit of a sigh, but I am ever so much happier to have a house!

Talked to G about it today - theres been a couple of hiccups, but over all things are going fairly smoothly. She has been so GREAT about dealing with all the madness while I've been away. She is amazing!

Today Mom, Brian and I ate at the Waitangi treaty grounds again - so we could have that FANTASTIC dish, Salmon Rushdie. Then mom and I hopped a water taxi from Paihia over to Russel and combed thru the art galleries. It was so lovely! I only bought one thing for me, a gorgeous fused glass ring - not glass set in metal, but the whole ring is of glass. It is a vibrant rich red, with silver dust, gold dust, and a few other subtle colors. LOVE it. We had horrible service at a cafe - apparently NZ is supposed to be infamous for horrible service, but I haven't really experienced it...until today! To get back to Opua, we hopped on the R Tucker Thompson, a very famous and old sailing ship! (http://www.tucker.co.nz/downloads.htm)

This may be my last post for a while. Tomorrow, Friday (NZ time mind you, we're 20 hrs ahead of PST), Mom, Brian, and I are going to drive down to Auckland, have an evening of it, spend the night with some friends. The next morning Mom and I take the train to Wellington, the capital, which is small tho it is the capital (much like Oly, my dear hometown-can you believe I'm saying that!!! it all has to do with G and the house...hmmm, and all my lovely peeps there!). Mom and I are going to Wellington for the big ol international arts festival there (http://www.nzfestival.telecom.co.nz/).

We already have tickets for:
The Dragon's Triology: http://www.nzfestival.telecom.co.nz/theatre/the-dragons-trilogy.php
Page 8: http://www.nzfestival.telecom.co.nz/theatre/page.php
And something else I don't remember.

I really really want to see Rebirth of a Nation (http://www.nzfestival.telecom.co.nz/theatre/dj-spookys-rebirth-of-a-nation.php) but we won't be there then.

On the 14th we'll fly back to Auckland and have fun there until I leave late late late on the 16th. (March 16th!!) Among other things I want to: go to the SGI center there, find a real Japanese resturant, visit LUSH and make a list of things for Mom and take a BATH!

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