airplane thoughts

It's hard to write any of the 14 posts I have to write because all I can think about is my beloved Ocean City. Just 12 more days (only 9 more flights and 2 more finals) until I'm back on the beach in summer. I just came from Darwin (if I ever move to Australia, definitely my new vacation destination) where it felt like summer (at 91 degrees F) in the middle of winter. It was a much needed escape from the cold, but now I'm in desperate need of summer.
Lol tho, the drastic weather change destroyed my immune system and now my nose can't stop running and I can't catch it and I keep sneezing and my throat is killer and I'm covered in bruises. But it's back to freezing in 5 hours; it might make it better or it might kill me.
Okay maybe I'll start catching up on some posts now. Or maybe I'll just keep getting absorbed into my music (this flight has no tv, but it did have a meal, so good on ya, virgin)

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha 

Shine Bright like a Glowworm

Okay, it's literally humanly impossible to remember every detail of the posts I still have to write (11) and the ones I will need to do about this week (8), soo I'm going to attempt to get writing on some old posts I have to catch up on.
So the farthest one back is the glowworms, but I don't really feel like writing about them but it'll be the shortest because it was only like an hour and not that impressive so I guess I'll just start by doing my glowworm post.

I have to pee tho (I just did a tasting of like 12 beers) so hold up real quick tho. I'll write ya before I get on my tram tour tho, I promise.
Okay I'm back
So after Hobbiton we (the bus) went to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. So I wanted to do the black water rafting, but it was as expensive as Hobbiton and the glowworms, and Hobbiton was extremely expensive on it's own as well. So because I believed, as an American, Hobbiton was an essential part of New Zealand, I did the Hobbiton and Waitomo bus tour instead of doing black water rafting and Hobbiton separately for double the price. At the time I feel I was pretty okay with this, but then Celeste and friends did the blackwater rafting and it looked so fun. But oh well. I didn't have time for both anyways.
So after Hobbiton we went to Waitomo where we waited like 10 minutes for a tour guide. They told us we couldn't take pictures, but of course I tried anyways. First the guide took us into the caves where he explained to us about the stalactites and stalagmites and the limestone. I think it's so cool that the caves - the whole entirety of the caves - were once completely underwater. They're huge! Apparently, it makes for great acoustics. One of the guides had her wedding there, it makes it so good.
Then we went further into the cave where our guide explained about the glowworm life process, but thanks to Allison (I think, maybe it was one of the other girls, idk) I already knew a bit about it. Anywhos he took us further to tell us about their lives because we could see the 'fishing line' webs they use to catch their food here. It really does look like fishing lines! So cool.
So then we got on the boat for the glowworm cavern thingy, I forget what it's called. The place where there's a lot of them. Anyways I attempted to illegally take some pictures but my iPhone refuses to capture glowworms or stars or anything so it was all just black. But the glowworms looked just like stars but blue. Like lots and lots and lots of blue stars or tiny blue Christmas lights. I think I thought they looked like Christmas lights first before It thought they looked like stars. But like little dotty ones. But yeah.
We weren't actually in the glowworm grotto (that's what it was called) long but we couldn't talk and the silence (except for the drip drip of the cave) was deafening. Then after we got off the boat we could take pictures so I got one of the outside of the cave.
Then we went to the gift shop where I got Autumn a postcard because when we were fantasizin about if she would come to New Zealand the glowworms were at the top of her list of what she wanted to see. Would've been better if she was there but oh well.
I still had time before I had to get back on the bus so I got an ice cream. Then we headed back for Auckland.

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

Slightly Smaller Than Hobbit Sized

Don't tell, but I still haven't actually seen the Lord of the Rings movies....I tried to watch the first one on the flight over here but I fell asleep about forty minutes into it. I did watch the first Hobbit movie tho, if that counts. But, being in New Zealand, it would have been very un-New Zealand of me to not go to Hobbiton. Since I'm not that invested in it and it was quite expensive, I didn't really want to go and was simply going because (as I just mentioned) I had to because I was in New Zealand, but I was pleasantly surprised.
On the way to Hobbiton, our bus driver gave great commentary on the areas we were passing. Sometimes he would pause, like to breathe, and in my head I would guess what was next and when I did that I was mostly right. It was nice because it made me feel smart about New Zealand and the Auckland area even tho I've spent like 0 time in Auckland (turns out I'm not really that big into cities - score 1 for daddy).
Hobbiton is located on the Alexander farm with 13,000 sheep and 400 cows. I really liked that it was on the Alexander farm because Uncle Danny's family is the Alexanders and I know they're probably most definitely not related but it's still cool.
So we had a tour guide that took us around Hobbiton and showed us all the Hobbit holes and gave us lots of Hobbiton trivia knowledge, so next Carnival Hobbiton trivia I totally got. Bring on the ships on the sticks.

Did you know they originally planned on filming on 12 different farms but the giant tree for the party scene (or wait maybe it was the lake) made them decide to only use the Alexander farm?
After the Lord of the Rings finished filming, the set was supposed to be destroyed so it could go back to being a farm again but a giant storm made them postpone destruction. While they were waiting it out a bunch (well 8 not really a bunch) of locals recognized the area from the movie and came to tour it and the Alexanders decided they could make money from tourists so they had them rebuild the set with stronger-longer lasting materials so they could give tours. Also the whole hobbit trilogy only took 12 days to film, but the set took over 2 years to put together.
The Hobbit holes were quite large. They had varying sizes but a lot of them I could easily fit in. Like the very first one we saw was very large. We couldn't go in it but I took a selfie to show my shortness with it.
The one I'm pictured in above I'm standing on a step in so I'm actually even smaller.
Also fun fact it wasn't raining but I hadn't worn my rain boots yet and I really wanted to wear them and it rained the day before so I wore them anyways.
Five hobbit holes were built just for the Hobbit trilogy. They're in the distance and small and were only used in case the camera shot too wide so it would look like the village continued instead of just farm.
There's also the oak tree above the famous hobbit hole and there are no oak trees in New Zealand so they had to build this tree. It's made of metal and the leaves are 5 shades brighter green than the natural stuff because the camera darkens it. But my eyes already have never seen such bright greens before so to me I couldn't tell the difference between the tree leaves and the grass but to like people who can see that brightness it's 5 shades lighter. Even tho it's totally fake it even fools the birds who often make nests in it.
So then after our tour we went to the Green Dragon for drinks. The sign says they ID unless you look over 25 and they didn't ID me and I don't think I look that old... If I do then when I'm really 25 I'll look over 30! Ew. So not down for being old, man.
Then after drinks we went to this party tent for our lunch and I was expecting like a sandwich on the bus but we got a full big buffet with like real meat and everything. My meat was dry and chewy but it was still meat so I tried my best to eat it. It was nice.

Then we got back on the bus to head to the glowworms (which has its own post so be patient my dears).

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

30 Days

May 28
Today I'm on a flight to the South Island. 30 days from now I'll be on a flight to America. This is my 15th flight since starting this study abroad journey and I have 18 more flights booked in the next 30 days before I'm home. I would try to count the cities as well (I don't always fly places) but I just can't - there are too many.
I've gotten better about my plane sickness that seemed to appear and disappear with the first few months of being sent into the great unknown alone. I guess it just took my body a little while to remember cruisin isn't the only way to get places; sometimes you just gotta fly. Spread your winds like a bird and just ride the wind like the breeze is the sea.
I'm tired. Carmen and Camille wanted to go out last night but I stayed in because I was tired and I'm still tired. I've been doin lots of runnin (not literally, everyone knows I don't run) but I'm on the last leg and I can't stop now. Next week all but 2 of my classes were cancelled and those two are optional so hopefully I'll catch up on my sleep then. Or not. We'll see. Ain't no rest of the wicked.
Also I'm really sick of NZ airlines not feeding us. Like hello, where are your manners? Uh whatever.
Also I don't understand why everyone thinks I'm a kiwi. Like I'm hanging out with a bunch of Americans, why would I be a kiwi when you know none of them are? I think it's maybe cause they don't know where my accent is from because even people in America don't know where my accent is from unless they're from Maryland or Delaware. But like they act so shocked when they find out I'm American and I'm like why are you so shocked?
Speaking of American, it's so weird how people don't know what the States are and you gotta say you're from American. In school I was always taught to never say I'm from America; I'm from the United States. Because all of Central and South America and Canada are from America too, so when asked I gotta say the US. But here if you say the US, they just look at you like you have 7 heads then they'll be like "America??" and then I'm like "yeah" but it feels so wrong because I was taught not to just say America but otherwise they don't understand. And they also don't know what DC is. They call it Washington, not Washington DC, and I'm sure like 60% of them are thinking of Washington State because they ask if it's in the west near California. The only places they know are Cali and New York so instead of trying to explain how I'm right next to DC I've learned to just say I'm 4 hours south of New York (which doesn't help but I don't care). Also they refers to any non-America I've talked to the past 4.5 months. Lots of Australians, Brits, Scots, and Germans.
Yo I'm hungry but I refuse to buy overpriced airline food on such short flights. I miss my beloved Southwest and their free peanuts and/or crackers/pretzels/chips and drinks.
Ah well. 30 days left. I can do it.

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

Flying to Fiji

Just a warning, this is gonna be a very negative post because Fiji Airways SUCKS MAJOR

Okay so story time (in a New Jersey/New York Italian guy accent bc idk why just because). Once upon a time, Fiji Airways was recommended to me by several parties for my flights to and from Fiji. Okay cool they're cheapest anyways. So I book my flights, the going and the return. It's all good. Then I get an email maybe like 5 days before my flights, eh idk maybe more point is it was close. So they say they cancelled my flight and put me on a later one for the next day. But that's not cool man because the next day I got a final I gotta be in Auckland for. So I email em back and I'm like yo change my flight (but nicer of course) and they're like sorry man no and I'm like yo I gotta be in Auckland I got a final you gotta change it man. And they're like call me. And I'm like no. And they don't help me. We send about 12 emails, no joke man. Still no help. I post on the facebook and I'm like yo you suck you cancel my flight and don't help me. Oh I forgot to mention in the emails I was like fine if you don't wanna change it just give me my money back and I'll book with someone else and they're like no refunds and we'll charge a cancel fee (but they're the ones that cancelled on me!). So I was a very angry. And they're not helping me. And the facebook page messages me and they're like 'yo let us help you' and I'm like please! and they still don't help. So my momma calls them bc she's a doll and they say they fix it then they send me another email saying it still ain't fixed. Then she calls again and gets it sorted or maybe she had to call a third time. Then they send me an email saying badda bing badda boom it's fixed. Then the facebook page message me again and they're like yo you gotta call us if you want help and I'm like yo I already told you it was fixed. They don't even communicate the email group and the facebook group and the phone group. So i don't really know if it's fixed or not but imma go with it.
okay back to english now.
So I get to the airport and there's no problems and I'm waiting for my plane and I'm sitting across from these two beautiful humans which is important because they'll come up in the story for the next day because fate man, and anyways they're cute but I'm tryin not to stare bc some people think I got a staring problem bc I'll zone out and it'll look like I'm staring at you but these guys were cute so it wouldn't be zone out it would be I'm staring at you bc you are fine. So they got these red passports and I'm like oh that's not english or spanish I wonder where you're from. So I chew on that then 40 minutes after we were supposed to board we go get in line to board and I'm in line before them and I think no more of them.
Then we get on the plane and there's a problem with the flight. 6 seats are double booked and there's only 2 empty seats in first class. 2 of the overbooked seats were right next to me so I was wondering if mine would be double booked too but it wasn't. I don't know what they did with the extra people but we sat on the plane for an hour and a half while they tried to figure it out.
I was a little freakin because my taxi guy was supposed to get me at 3:55 at the airport and now we were like two and half hours late and idk if he would wait but oh well nothing I can do
I watched the first three episodes of season two of the Flash instead of writing more blog posts. Oops.
So the guy that won the seat next to me in the double booked war was a new pilot for Fiji Air from Switzerland. He worked with some other airline for 10 or 30 years idk and he was nice. I do not blame him for Fiji Air sucking.
I was sad about being late to the airport but I was even more sad that I was gonna miss a Fiji sunset because they were supposed to be the best in like all the world. Then Mr. Pilot dude asks if I wanna trade seats with him so I could be at the window but I'm like no I'm okay but then I realize that WE ARE THE SUNSET. So like I can't look out the window at the real sunset because I didn't trade seats because I didn't realize what/why he was asking but then I saw like the reflections on the wings and we were like super colorful and I should've taken him up on his offer but i didn't realize but oh well
So then the sun is already down when we land.
But they're like "if you're connecting to Honolulu run to our staff so you make the flight" and I'm just like OMG ARE YOU KIDDING ME because Bethany Hamilton is in Fiji and idk when she's going back to Hawaii but if she was on that flight and we got there earlier I might've seen her and it would've made my life to meet Bethany. Like I was so upset. She prob wasn't even on that flight; they prob have Hawaii flights every day, but still. The thought that she could possibly be literally within like 50 feet from me and I missed her is very upsetting. I woulda tried to detour to go check but they were very like hawaii boarding passes only and such.
So then I'm in line in customs and I see the pretty boys again and they're way behind in line so sucks to be them.
So then I get out to the waiting area and the guy with my name sign is like "I've been waiting here for 3 hours!!!" (our flight only landed 2 hours late, thanks tail wind) and I'm like "my flight was delayed. not my fault" and he was weird and kinda creepy and lol thank God for best friends like Patrick because I used him as a fake boyfriend but I'm sure he wouldn't mind.
Then we finally get to the dock and I get on the ferry boat thing and Fiji has literally no lights and it's so dark and I've never seen so many stars in my life. Like when I told Autumn the glowworm caves looked like stars, I wasn't kidding. I felt like I was in the caves again. Like I thought we had lots of stars at home being in the woods and such but I guess Ocean City and Baltimore are too close because they're literally nothing like I'm ashamed to think that that was a lot of stars because it wasn't. I should've taken a picture but honestly I didn't even think to because I was so in the moment. We were goin through this river and it was like all trees and such on the sides and it was all fishy and it reminded me of home and it would've been perfect to just stop the boat and go night fishing but i couldn't and that was sad but it was a nice boat ride and i liked it. & there were jumping fish, like a lot of them. I wonder if there was a shark hunting them that we couldn't see but it was cool to see all the jumping fish and the boat ride was nice and i'm glad it was at night because it wouldn't have been the same during the day and it wouldn't be as nice.
Then we got to the island and they show me my room and take me to dinner because I just made it in time and it was beef and vegetables on mash just like I make in the microwave. I might only be able to eat microwaveable and raw foods due to my lack of domestic skills but apparently that means I can still eat good.
So then they're all like movie time and we're all like no bonfire so they make a bonfire for us. There's a German couple, Stella and Marcus, and a Canadian couple. The Canadian couple really isn't Canadian tho, I feel they're more homeless, tho nomad would probably be a more appropriate term, because apparently they're literally always traveling and they travel the world on their boat. They're those people you hate to meet that literally do nothing but brag about where they've been and what they've done. Like I've been and done a lot of things/places but you don't hear me bragging every chance I get (this blog is different because that's literally the purpose of this blog). Ugh it just irks me. That might be my new least favorite kind of people.
So then the worker dudes find out I'm not gonna be here for the fire show because I leave right quick so he's like "i'll teach you how to fire dance" so then I fire dance, yay! (see opening picture)
that was super cool and i'm v grateful he decided to show me fire dancing and let me try. I'm like a real islander now.
then we chill at the fire some more and then I go back to my room. I'm in a cute little bungalow I forgot to take a picture of but you open the door and there's the bed and that's it because it's small and cute and it has a leaf roof and it's like I always thought I would be fine living in - a little shack on the beach with nothing but like a bed but i've decided i'm too much of a princess and i need a real house, but it can still be on a beach.

nope, not on this island

until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

I ain't lion; I'm not a cheetah!

Wrapped up in Wellington

Waiting for Wellington

My morning started off very bad. Like I wrote a solid 4.5 pages on how bad my day was going, all before noon, but I'm not gonna type it out for ya because they're my problems not yours. Included in those pages tho are how my Uber driver left me like a mile from where I had to be in the pouring rain, my smoothie tasted like stuff I would not eat, and my flight got delayed. It was not off to a good start.
So then when we finally got in the air, it was only a 45 minute flight to Wellington. We fell out of the sky for a few hundred feet and I thought we were gonna die. But we made it.

My face with the pool being overrun
by children.

None of the ATMs would accept any of my cards. I tried all cards at all ATMs and none of them would give me money. So then I just used a card for a cab to the hotel and since the flight was all delayed, it was too late to really go do anything because it was almost dark and the hotel is like way uphill so no way am I gonna be walking up and down to town. There was no wifi either so I had to use my data so I tried to plan out what else to do besides my seal safari as quick as I could. Unfortunately it was a little too quick and I still had an hour before the restaurant would be open for dinner. So I just chilled. I thought of writing some of my way overdue blog posts but I just couldn't because my head hurt because I was having a rough week.
Then finally it was time for dinner so I go to the restaurant. I got the ribs because apparently pork is my new favorite food along with fried chicken (jk we all know I love all meats and fishes) but the ribs didn't make me feel any better so I had to take the rest back to my room because I was done being at the restaurant.
So then I went to the swimming pool but it was overrun by 7-12 year olds so I went in the sauna and hoped they would leave soon but they had big buckets of KFC and they had more of their friends join them every couple minutes and they lasted way longer than I lasted so I went back to my room and took a warm shower because the room was freezing and I don't think the heat was working but idk how to work their heating systems here because it seems no matter what I do they don't work.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

My face after eating my ribs,
barely any bbq sauce on it

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha

Finally Chasing Waterfalls

Today I was gonna sleep in. But I woke up kinda early anyways. But I just laid in bed for a while because I was gonna be lazy and it was raining. So when I eventually decided to get up I got dressed and walked into town. I tried to get a pic of the view from the hotel but it was rainy and foggy so it wouldn't have been a good pic. Yesterday the water in the lake was soo blue and today it was so grey. It makes me kinda sad I didn't take a picture yesterday but oh well. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
So then I get to town and I'm wandering around looking for a taxi to take me to the Honey Hive and there's like none. And I'm looking for the ones I took yesterday because they were like right there and I literally walked way past it but eventually I found it and it took me to the Honey Hive.

When you're all by yourself sometimes you gotta improvise.

The honey hive was not what I thought it would be like. It was advertised like you come and you like learn all about bees and how they make the honey and such and you can taste honey and preservatives and spreads and such but it was really just a store. I did get to taste some honey but like that's it. And the ones I liked were super expensive, like the one I was gonna get for my sister (until I saw the price) was $117 for a tiny little jar. So then I was gonna get her the lavender kind but it tasted super bad so she didn't get that either. And they had like skin stuff too but they were also super expensive. So after staring at the honeys for a super long time I left to go to the Huka Falls.

woo hiking woo i didn't die

So there was no road to Huka Falls. Well like there was but there was no footpath (sidewalk) and it was like legit just for the cars, so I took the mountain bike trail. It was super narrow and if a mountain bike did come by, it might've knocked me down a cliff and I might've died, but I didn't so it's all good. It was actually kinda fun walking in the middle of the nature thing. Look at that, me, hiking! Go me. I know you're not supposed to hike by yourself and that's how Ally died, hiking by herself in New Zealand, but the tracks were fresh so if something were to happen a mountain biker would most likely find me relatively soon. The path was all zig zaggy instead of like up and down so that was good because ya girl does not do hills well (if you couldn't tell by all my 'I hate hills' posts). So anyways, then I came to this part that was like "this way to the beach" and I was like "wait I'm going to the falls" so I went the other way just hoping it was the right way. Then I heard the helicopter and I was like "cool, I must be going the right way because the copter must be above the falls for like tours and such" so I kept walking. At this point it was like uphill and I was like this better be the right way (back with the I hate hills aspect). Finally I saw water and I was like "yasss" but it was a river and not like the falls so I look at the river right because like water gives me strength and imma need strength if imma keep hiking bc like I have arthritis and I don't hike and who knows I could die and like there are bubbles in the water and I'm like YESSS so then like I follow the bubbles and that's how I know I'm going the right way because the bubbles gotta be coming from the falls bc where else would they be coming from?

Finally found the river with bubbles! 

The strongest connection one can have is that made of bubbles (quote by yours truly) and man my connection with those bubbles were on point so I keep following them even tho at this point there are no tracks on the path so if I die it might be a while til help finds me but oh well yolo, so I keep walking. Then there's another sign and it's like Crater Walk this way, Huka Falls that way and I'm like yay I'm almost there! So I go towards the Huka Falls way and then the path ends and I gotta find a new one but I found it and this one came from the road so like it's like a human instead of bike path and there are other people walking on it so I'm like at least I won't die and I keep walking and I'm all like "yeah look at my hiking go me I'm awesome" and I'm wishing I had my book so I could write in it but I don't so yeah I'm writing this like three weeks later but oh well I'm clearly still excited about it because look I survived because as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive and man I love the water. So anyways, then I finally find it! Yay me!
Omg I wrote all that in one breath (bc excited clearly) and now I'm like exhausted.
Anyways.
The path brings me to the bottom of the waterfall. It's like white where the fall lands then turquoise then teal and it's so pretty. So I just chill at the bottom for a little bit and take some pictures before I head up to the tourist area. It's cool because down here there's like nobody because they're all at the top because the clearly drove, the lucky ducks.
So then I go up to the tourist part and I'm like okay I'll like go check out the waterfall then eat because I'm sure there's a cafe there and there's no cafe so that plan fails.
But like so I go check out the waterfall and it's seriously so powerful. Like I'm not really sure where all that power is coming from but I've never seen anything so powerful like it is pumpin. Like the Queen clearly doesn't have much power but neither does Obama or anything. Like it's insane. I've such respect for this waterfall. I kept thinking I wish I had brought my book so I could sit in front of it and write about it, but I didn't. Now I know to always bring my notebook with me. Oh well.
The water is so mesmerizing. I tried to photograph/video it to get it but it doesn't come through digital media well. Like it does but not the mesmerizing effect. It's seriously so amazing. It's not a large waterfall by any means but it's so beautiful and powerful and strong and amazing. Like I've seen Niagara (yeah I was young but I still saw it man) and I feel like this waterfall was more powerful. It's so powerful that fish and other marine life cannot swim up the falls so there is barely any wildlife topside of the waterfall. & like here, and I guess hippies back home, are always talking about like how like areas give off energies and such (okay so when it comes to water I guess I could be classified as one of those hippies at home because I totally say that too but that's not the point) and like the one beach on Waiheke was clearly emitting like healing and restorative energies and like when it came to this fall I couldn't quite place what energies it was vibin but it was so strong it definitely was giving off lots of energies. I think it depends on like what each person needed most as to what energy it gave to them. Like hello, I don't hike, so like it helped revive and restore me so that I could continue on my journey, but it was just like so amazing and such an awesome waterfall. I literally just stood there staring at the waters for a while.
Then I started getting hungry so since there was no cafe at the falls I figured maybe the Spa Park would have a cafe so I started on my way to there.
Also, fun fact: huka means foam. If this post was solely about the falls (which it would've been if I had my notebook with me at the waterfall), the post would've been named the Foam Falls.

 So the path to the Spa Park was a human walking path, so I'm not sure if it counts as a hike but I definitely liked walking on the mountain bike path better. It was more fun and less totally awful on my poor knees and breath and such. Like I wasn't too sure I was gonna make it to the spa park lol. I kept going off the path to go to little lookouts at the river, but it took forever and by the time I was like halfway there I was ready to give up, but I kept walking. I think because I was hungry and tired and thirsty made it worse. I had a drink but I drank it all well before I reached the park. But I eventually made it. Here are some pictures from my walk there:

So then I finally made it to the Spa Park! YAY! But there was no cafe there either. BOO. But oh well I just went swimming anyways and let the waters make me not hungry, but I did almost eat a dead fish I caught.
So anyways, what the spa park is is it's where a hot water stream from the volcanic like faults and such meets the river that goes down to the Huka Falls. So the closer you are to the river (even in the river), the colder it is because the river is freezing, and the closer you are inland in the stream, the warmer it is because of the geothermal activities. There were a couple waterfalls that went into pools on the inland side of the stream so it was cool to play in them because I've always wanted to play in a waterfall!! Fulfilling life goals right there. You can see the opening picture of this post.
But then it got like real hot so I spent most of my time practically in the river but still in the stream because the stream didn't have any current but the current in the river was super strong and also I stayed in the stream because the river was very cold even tho I went into the river to play a lot.

I caught a fish!!

Pretending to eat the fish for a picture

I was fine just chillin. But this guy comes over and keeps talking to me. Like an old guy that was clearly just lonely himself and wanted to talk. So I just like let him talk and I'm like "yeah" occasionally because I don't wanna talk because I don't like people. But this guy here finds out I'm American and starts going off about Trump, but it's not what you think. He likes Trump! He's literally the only person in all of New Zealand that hasn't complained to me about how much they hate Trump. So that was refreshing like the river.
Then a bunch of Maori boys come over and start talking to me. Now them I would talk to. So they see my GoPro and they're like "can I take a picture" and I'm like "sure" so now I have three pictures of them and we're Facebook friends and yay I made friends!  One was a straight up high school flashback, with Only God Can Judge Me chest tats and everything. I was supposed to hang out with that one in Wellington but he didn't come but it's okay because I was busy anyways. But yeah. They were chill. They own a farm a half hour away.

 (Also blogger isn't letting me move around my pictures like usual and it's making me mad.)
I could've stayed in the stream literally forever but it was getting dark and the tide was going out so there was literally like no water left where I wasn't burning up so eventually I had to leave. I guess 3.5 hours was enough anyways...except it wasn't.
I don't know how to get out of here so I follow the people in front of me and they take me to a parking lot and these people right in front of me keep turning around to check on me because I'm like panting like a dog because it's like uphill and I'm like dying. Then I'm like (to myself) "where do I tell the taxi to pick me up from" and I have no idea because there's like lots of parking lots and stuff so I'm like I'll just walk until I can't walk anymore then I'll call a taxi because I don't like talking to peoples anyways. So there's this group of people in front of me so I follow them and hope I'm going the right way to town. Then they're lost but I keep going anyways because I remember those road names from the map. So then I finally make it to town yay! That's enough walking for me for a lifetime.
So then I am very hungry so I go to this fancy Bistro restuarnt because it's right there and I feel very under-dressed but it's empty so it doesn't matter. They bring me free bread and free samples of some fancy appetizer thing while my pork is cooking. I love pork. It's amazing. Second day in a row I've had pork. It's so lovely.
So then I eat all my food and I can't remember if I'm still hungry but I think maybe I am but I have cheesecake back in my room so I leave anyways and I walk back to my hotel because it's really quite close.
So then I get back and I watch TV and take a warm shower because it's cold outside and eat my cheesecake.
The guide says Baggage Claim is next on TV so I'm like "yeah I love that show" but the show I like is just called Baggage and Baggage Claim is a movie but it takes place in Baltimore and it's a good movie so I watch it anyways and they show a picture of the Aquarium and it makes me very sad because I miss Maryland but it's okay because Taupo is a good place to be.
Then I read more of Sarah's book and go to sleep.

Until next time,

xoxo,

Tasha