Doggie Walk: (Part Four) 21st October 2006

Back at the hostel, those who were in, were all decked out next to the fireplace lazing and enjoying a good book while enjoying the sunset. That sunset was one of the main reasons why i picked that hostel. It is really a paranomic view!...unfortunately, too bright to photograph..hee

I started talking to the british couple. They were in their forties, quit their jobs and were taking a long holiday travel trip I think. All i remember was that they were on a 6 to 8 month travel trip!!!! gosh...and they had already stayed at hokitika for 2 weeks!!!! When asked where they were heading to next, the husband told me to ask the missus, coz it's up to her....seems, they didnt plan anything, and simply read about NZ in a book while they stay at one place and when the missus feels like it...they get up and go!!! I wish i could do that manz...

Halfway through walked in a canadian teacher, whom i understood, also took up the part time job of cleaning the hostel (ie.. She had just come back from a course on jade carving (hokitika is famous for that) She has been in Hokitika a week, and flustered that her carving skills were not giving her the desired result. Oh well, she still had tomorrow. So it seemed that in Canada, there is a program on that allows teachers to take a 3 year break to explore the world. Semi paid for i think. So that they can bring back thier knowledge and experinces to the classroom...Cool huh...

Neil the owner of the hostel was there chatting too. He was cutting up the bread that he made daily as a hobby to share with everyone. His dog was adorable, though regrettably I can't remember his name..=)

Dinner...dinner time really isn't easy when you're backpacking alone. That is something I really remember from this trip. Being really tired from the day's long and treacherous drive which was dangerous...I couldn't muster myself to think much about food to stuff myself with.

So I cooked instant noodles. Can't go wrong there.

It was the first time i experienced that kind of communal cooking. It's just a silent understanding that you give a bit of way and space yourself, so that you do not hog the stove or get into each others way too much. No one is mean of course, but you jsut pick your spot somewhere to be your food preparation corner, get/ wait for the appropriate pot/ pan and just cook...

Then everyone ate on their own...either with a book, in front of the computer...

Darkness sets in fast there. I asked around if anyone had gone visit the glow worm grotto. I planned to since i'd never seen a glow worm in me life!..some had, most had not. well, at the end of the day, i managed to get all of them to go..LOL..we made it an outing.

It is quite a walk and since it's pitch black outside, those with cars volunteered to take those who didnt. the british couple took mine and the husband drove..=)

Because we were by the sea...IT WAS SUPER COLD LOR!!!...hahaha...when we reached, we all jsut stood in the dark to get our eyes adjusted. Honestly, it wasn't fantastic..haha..the glow was very faint. but they were numerous! Below is a feeble attempt of me to get a picture...yes..i know..it's black...you can't photograph glow worms with FLASH!!..( another lesson in life learned)...hahaha

below: we balanced the cameras on a fence and took pics of our trip to the grotto. Girl in the hat is the canadian teacher. British couple is teh two standing on the right.

back at the hostel, I settled myself quickly...it was damn cold and i had quite a bit to do before sleeping. Took some photos in the room...i really like the wall paintings of the animals by Neil's wife (a school art teacher)...they are so me...LOL...

Painting is a Kea. (seen to be pests in NZ)..and the soft toy sheep I just couldn't resist posing with, if you know me lah..hahaha...

After a shower, i went to seek the warmth of the fireplace and at the same time plan my route for tomorrow. I was a little concerned. If tomorrow was going to be the same bad drive given it was the rainy period, sould i make it in time to my destinations? A novice, I had several maps to refer to. Some were helpful...but u had to do alot of cross references. Example, one had a map that sucked, but it had estimated kilometres and driving times between towns. Which a better map did not...=)

the canadian teacher was nice...though she couldnt' assure me, she talked to me about my home Singapore. She was going to visit after her stint in NZ, probably 6 months later and we swapped contacts. (you know what...SHE REALLY contacted me in April 2007!)

At one point, I just gave it to God. haha...no point worrying over something you have no control. =)

The rest of the hostellers were playing a new game (the israeli teens were teaching.) I can't remember thier names now. 2 gals and one guy. They said it's an israeli game...forgot the name..but as i watched, i realised it's similar to UNO. when i said that, the israel teens never heard of it!..hahaha...interesting how cultures overlap...

Anyway, i played the first game with assistance and the second alone. I won the second..ahhaa...the group started talking about beginner's luck, coz every new person they taught won it the first time. =) it was a real laugh...but it felt great then to see a group of strangers of diff backgrounds enjoying time together. =)

that's when i started to feel that this trip was only going to get better.=) and the loneliness of my first day was gone...=)