My new best friend

I would like to introduce you all to my new best friend, Aloe. Aloe is a wonderful friend and soothing in times of pain. I was in need of aloe’s comfort this afternoon. That’s right, I got burned. They claim that the ozone is thinner here and therefore it is easier to get burned. To get burned without knowing it too I might add. This morning it was cool and windy but the sun came out a bit this afternoon and now I am burned. My ears and feet hurt the most. I think this is the most my feet have ever burned at one time.

This morning I woke up before 7:30 and tried my best not to wake up the three other girls in my room. Last night I slept in what I had worn the day before and wore it again this morning. This made getting ready easy. I walked to the nearest grocery store to get something for breakfast. I got eggs. They were expensive; $4.50 New Zealand Dollars for a dozen. I took them back to the hostel and made 3 of them for breakfast and hard boiled the rest to eat later. I then walked to the hostel across the street to ask about when I could check in. I had booked a room at another hostel for tonight because the one I was at was booked for tonight. I got my stuff together and took it across the street to the Mousetrap Backpacker Hostel where I will be staying tonight. I wasn’t able to check in right away but they let me keep my backpack in a backroom so I didn’t have to carry it around all day. I then took a nice stroll along the beach and walked to the library to get internet. After a short while, I returned to the hostel to check in. As I was walking back, I passed the girl from Denmark. She told me that last night, a guy who was in her room decided to relieve himself all over her stuff. He reimbursed her for damages. Quite the story. I checked into my room and then went back out again.

I sat on the dock as I at my lunch of apple, peanut butter, and goldfish. There was a small hill/lookout right by the harbor that I went up. As I was up there, guess what I saw? A Frisbee! In a grassy patch were four guys throwing a Frisbee around. Of course I had to join. I went down and threw the Frisbee around for a while. They were from Denmark and had just finished high school. Side bar: I have met a lot of Europeans while traveling; particularly people from Germany, England, and Denmark. It can be like a guessing game trying to guess by someone’s accent where they are from.

It was late afternoon by this time. I then went on an hour hike to a lookout over Bay of Islands. It was well worth it. It was beautiful! In the morning, a girl at the hostel told me of a grocery store that was a little farther but was cheaper than the others. I wish I had known about this before I bought eggs this morning! I decided to give it a go. It was probably a mile walk. I wish I had a pedometer the count how much I walk while I am here. I walked back to the hostel with my groceries, took a shower which felt amazing, and had dinner of cereal and my first golden kiwi.

Thoughts on traveling solo thus far: I think I’m beginning to get used to it. It was weird at first, and at times it still is odd. I find myself doing things very slowly and at my own pace. Not that I do all things slowly but I’m perfectly content taking my time doing something and don’t feel pressure from others to move on to the next thing. Yet with that, I do miss having others to share experiences with. I am surprised by the number of people I have met that are traveling by themselves.

Looking up

The trail up to the lookout

A bit of encouragement along the way

The breathtaking view from the top

Well worth the hike

A strange plant. It was weird. I touched it. I was afraid it was going on uncoil and wrap around my wrist.

The first golden kiwi I ate.

My sunburned feet.