45 things for 45 days

As of today, I have been traveling for 45 days so here are 45 thoughts for 45 days.

1.       New Zealand is grand.

2.     NZ is a photographers dream.

3.     Kiwi lingo: heaps, mate, cheers, bloody, garage (pronounced gariage), car park, togs (swimsuit), biscuit (cookie), lollies (candy), bench (counter), jandals (sandals), boot (trunk), dairy (convenience store), tramping/treking (hiking), bloke (person), bush (forest), eh (reminds me a bit of Canada), flat (apartment), good on you (congratulations, well done).

4.     Internet is expensive here. I have yet to pay for it.

5.     I have managed to survive without an alarm clock the whole time I have been here. I have my internal clock to thank (and sometimes people that are in the same room as myself). I have yet to miss a bus or be late for work. The other night I went to bed just hoping I would be up in time for work. I was.

6.     My watch deserves recognition. It has survived many summers at camp and traveling through Europe. Its days may be numbered. The light button was off before my journey began and a few weeks ago another button fell off. It will be a sad day when it dies. Let’s hope it lasts the rest of the trip.

7.     When traveling, I don’t shower as much as I normally would. The other day after hiking is the first day that I think I have actually smelled bad.

8.     You may not want to know this but I didn’t pack deodorant. Intentionally.

9.     I have washed my clothes in the shower.

10.  I haven’t paid to do laundry yet. That time may be coming; unless someone offers to let me do laundry at their house. (since writing this, I was able to do laundry at a friends house)

11.    Electrical outlets have on and off switches.

12.  We are south of the Equator but I couldn’t tell you if the toilet flushes the opposite way because it just goes down (not around).

13.  When flushing the toilet you have two options; the partial flush and the full flush.

14.  Traveling makes me appreciate things more such as: my family and friends, having a wardrobe to choose from, free internet, free laundry, my car, having my own bedroom that I don’t have to share with several strangers, a full size brush

15.  I think everyone should travel at some point in their lives. I could go on and on with reasons why.

16.  One of the great things about traveling is staying in hostels. Reasonable accommodation that brings together travelers from around the world. The community within a hostel is unlike anything else. You share rooms, kitchens, lounges, and stories.

17.  Bed bug update: Amazingly, after my last rant, all itching has gone away and the bites are beginning to disappear.

18.  Of the Americans I have met, the leading state is California followed by Colorado.

19.  Over the duration of the hike I went on the other day, I was invited for drinks twice.

20.  When I come back to the US, my skin will be darker and my hair will be lighter.

21.  I have very much enjoyed traveling by myself and going at my own pace.

22.  I think being here by myself has made me more open to meet people than I have ever been. It has become quite easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger.

23.  I have finished whole containers of both peanut butter and nutella on my own.

24.  I still don’t know what I’m going to do when I go home.

25.  My favorite article of clothing is my flannel. It is versatile. I can have the sleeves either up or down depending on the weather and it is very comfortable.

26.  Ponytails are for more than keeping hair up. They also work well for keeping food products closed.

27.  When on the move, plastic bags have great value. They can be used to carry food items, as a trash, or to separate things in my pack.

28.  Picture count: 2,408

29.  Approximate cost per day: $34

30.  I would rather go on a hike that was long and flat than on a hike that was short and steep.

31.  I have survived the past 45 days without a phone.

32.  Because most of the towns in New Zealand are small they are manageable. I can leave most towns with a sense of accomplishment.

33.  My sister made me a journal to take with me on my journey. In it she wrote several quotes. One of them was, “Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen.” There has been several times where I have reminded myself of this. When hiking, rather than going quickly to cover a lot of ground, I have learned to take my time and enjoy it.

34.  I have a new appreciation for those who clean for a living.

35.  I miss my girls.

36.  I haven’t washed my water bottle yet. I should maybe do that.

37.  Fish and chips are great.

38.  It would be so much easier and logical if everyone used the metric system.

39.  When I refer to the land of my birth I call it the US. Kiwi’s call it America.

40.  Boysenberry ice cream and jam are wonderful.

41.  Water here gets very hot. I have never had a cold shower. Water from the faucet gets so hot it can scald your hands.

42.  I enjoy finding internet codes lying on the floor that still have time remaining on them when cleaning.

43.   I may not want to leave when the time comes.

44.  Maybe I will come back!

45.  You should come to New Zealand!