|
|
back to all the tales...
|
|
check out more places in new zealand...
|
|
Date: October 21, 2004
Location: Paihia, New Zealand
i don't think life could get much better...
i'm sitting here in paihia in the bay of
islands, looking out on the water as dolphins swim past and the sun shines down. the tourists have started to arrive and the place is really starting to pick up. you can feel summer coming and it's not just b/c we have all started wearing swimmers and boys are walking around with out shirts.
i've been quite a busy girl and quite a happy one at that. my foot has healed (FINALLY) and the boot came off about 2wks ago. i'm finally getting to do all the
activities and feel like a normal person again. what a relief to be able to wear 2 shoes again!!!
so what have i been up to? well i've gone swimming with dolphins about 4 times now and absolutely love it. some days they are so close you can see them from the shore. last time we went blue whales were in the bay which is quite rare. they get the odd orca or two, but the largest mammal in the world? that was definitely an added bonus. haven't interacted much with the fur seals, but thats 'coz they are lazy buggers who just like to sun themselves rather than deal with us humans.
i went to the top of the north island on saturday to cape
reinga, a very spiritual place where the Maori think your spirit goes after you die before jumping off to your final resting place. it was absolutely spectacular. we then went to the
world famous fish and chip shop in
mangonui and had a great feed.
it was funny for me as we travelled thru a small town called Houhora which is where a mate from
Broome hails from. It was neat to see a bit of where he came from...
after a long day of travelling around northland (the top of
nz) it was back to the pipi patch lodge where i cook the bbq every night. they figure that since i'm from
texas i must know what i'm doing. then one of the stranger (and cooler) things that has ever happened occured... i'm standing there prepping the barbie when this bloke walks by. no biggie looks a bit familiar but whatever. i go back about my ways and he walks by again and i realize who it is... I say, "Greg?" and wouldn't you know it but Greg Zale is standing in front of me. Say what? Let me back up, you have to understand how small this town is that I'm in. Like 2,000 people live here and while it is a huge tourist spot in the summer, it's not quite summer yet. And here right in front of me is a boy I went to school with? it's odd enough to see an american travelling the world, but then to run into a guy i've been at school with and partied with? small world. it was amazing. he was travelling with this german guy and was on his way back to
dallas. what are the odds? so of course i felt it was my duty to find him a hottie (not that he
hadn't found a lovely aussie one the night before) and hooked him up with a mate of mine. happy times. but seriously... Greg Zale? the last person i EVER EVER thought i'd run into on my travels around the world. just goes to show you people aren't what they always appear to be.
well greg is back in dallas now and i'm still here in the bay and loving it. i've gotten a job working on a charter boat and start in 3wks. it'll be amazing and i'll get to be on the water every day. a bit of diving, a bit of hostessing, a bit of fishing (not so sure about that) and a bit of other stuff all thrown in the mix. i'm even thinking about getting my dive instructors
license as the boat will pay me more to have it and then who knows what i'll be able to get up to.
i'm supposed to go parasailing tomorrow if the weather is nice, but it is always nice here. they have the highest one in nz here and now that i'm no longer a cripple i'm up to give it a go. my mates keep trying to get me to go skydiving with them and even tho it's free i just can't make myself do it. (sorry travis!) i was just too scared last time. but hey, at least i've willingly jumped out of a perfectly working plane once in my life. ;-)
well i've rambled enough and the beach is beckoning me. i hope all is well with you wherever you are... if you're gonna be in nz soon or anytime ever in the future, make a trip to the Bay... it's quite easily one of the better spots to be!
-- megs.
|
|
|
|
|
