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Published: January 21st 2006
On the road again.
That's all of my stuff that I've been lugging around with me. It doesn't seem to matter how much I get rid of or mail home..the pack is always too heavy.Rude awakening
Koreans can't whisper. Shh!
It is 5AM!
Wow another day and time to move on. I had a bit of a rude awakening by the two loud Koreans in my room...Shush please!
I had my last breakfast with Jasper this morning. He was looking in pretty bad shape because he had a snorer in his room. LOL Can't believe after 12 days of seeing NZ's north island together it is time to move on in our separate directions. I'm curious to see who I'll meet up with on the bus this morning...
Well, I waited about 1/2 hour for the Stray bus to come pick me up before giving them a ring to see where they were. Yup, they're still on their way. I found out later that I was on the manifest to be picked up BUT it said that I was to be picked up at Urban Retreat...a different hostel! Since everyone else was at Urban Retreat they were just taking their time getting their act together. Lucky for me I got the very last seat on the bus. It was a pretty small bus with all 16 of us crammed on. Kinda funny
because just a few days before there were about 10 of us on a 30+ seater bus! Go figure.
Met up with some others I had met on earlier buses like Sarah, Sarah, Dan, Alex, Brian, Michelle. Once on the bus I made some small chit chat with the people at the back of the bus Liz, Daniel and Brian (although he was a bit of a sleepy head.) Liz actually lived in Vancouver and Whistler for about eight months just last year and has been travelling for a while now. Most recently in Central America and South America so we were exchanging travel stories and also talked about BC and most notably All-U-Can-Eat Sushi being the best in Vancouver. Mmm, I can taste it now! I think one of my first meals when I get home to Vancouver will be sushi! It's not quite the same here in NZ but it will satisfy the cravings I suppose. 😊 Dan talked about and described his sledging experience at length and how sore and bruised he still was and how he had to hang on for his dear life! Doesn't sound like something I'd like to try.
We're staying
in Whakapapa (BTW in Maori "wh" is pronouced like "f"...you figure it out!) tonight at the Skotel...the hightest hotel in NZ. In winter this place is a ski resort so we're staying in pretty nice chalets for only $22. The kitchen is nice and clean and in great working condition too. Sure wish all hostels were like this place! This afternoon we went on a hike to see the Taranaki Waterfalls and could also see "Mt. Doom" from our place. Sunset was awesome as well…lots of nice oranges and pinks in the sky. Although it was a little chilly sitting out on the veranda. I swear it took a good couple of hours under the covers to warm myself up. But that's okay because we were just watching TV - “America's Top Model” - and having a hoot. Now we're watching "Return of the King" to see some of the scenery. I can't help but keep some comments to myself..."that Frodo looks a little constipated" or just watching the little Hobbits run is so cute!
Tomorrow it is off to Wellington. A six hour journey I hear. Hopefully there will be a few staying an extra night here in
Whakapapa so that there will be more room on the bus for the rest of us continuing on. Unfortunately I don't think that will be the case...
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