Here is the part where I was forced to bid farewell to my favorite undergarment. Yes, at the YHA Napier Hostel, I laid my favorite bra (and only non sports bra I've worn since being in NZ) to rest in the trashcan. Let me explain. So, community bathrooms are not my cup of tea (surprise, surprise). I just don't like wet floors, germs, etc. Anyways, I laid all of my clothes on this shelf (really tiny shelf) above the toilet (mistake #1). After finishing my shower, I begin reaching for my pajamas, when all of a sudden my strapless bra falls in the toilet. (It's okay if you are laughing now). I'm serious, even though most women abhor strapless bras, I cannot tell you how perfect this one was. I got it back when Foley's was still called Foley's many years ago, and sadly, I have not needed another one. Anyways, it was like slow motion, and the next thing I knew, I was convincing myself that I just had to throw it in the trashcan- that no matter how many times I ran it through the washer, I would not be able to wear it without worrying about fungi. RIP strapless bra.
On a more cheerful note, Colin and I made it over to Taupo Saturday morning and beat the rain to bungy jump. Yes, we paid money to have a bungy cord strapped to our ankles and free-fall off a ledge over rocks and water. I think that I backed out like 3 times while we were on the ledge about to go off together (my hands are seriously sweating just typing this), but I couldn't convince either Colin or the guy to let me get down. Thankfully, Colin didn't let me back down, and we went. I must say that that was one of the greatest feelings ever. My 'motto' since being in NZ has been "Just GO". I have it written above my desk, and try my best to stick with it. Just go out with people you don't know, just go on random road trips, just go and jump off a ledge, just go to places you haven't been before. It has served me well since I have been here.
Back to bungy-jumping. I have a new outlook on the common phrase parents use when dealing with their kids and peer pressure. You know the one, "If so and so jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" Question: "What if I am strapped to another person by the ankles and forced off the bridge - does that make a difference?" Knowing my parents, the conversation would continue something like this, "Why were you on a bridge with them? Heck, why were you strapped to them in the first place?" I could continue this predictable script, but I think you get the general idea. We got the picture and DVD package of our jump, so you will be seeing those online in no time. Just keep in mind, Colin is the one that screams and then starts laughing uncontrollably. (Kidding.)
We also visited a Geothermal National Park in Taupo called Craters of the Moon. It was by far one of the coolest things that I have ever seen. I could not tell you much about the geological/geographical/geo-whatever phenemenon that was going on here, but heat from inside the earth was causing these craters to form and steam to rise from them. It was about an hour walk through the park, but totally worth it. After that, the rain started picking up again, so we headed back to Napier for the evening. We got back, showered, and headed out to eat at this wonderful jazz bar that had live music on the weekends (score!). Oh, and we also watched this scary movie called Identity, or Invited or something like that. I don't even remember - partly because my eyes were closed most of the time, and I was preoccupied with the suspicious 'gluten-baby' growing in my stomach from sharing a NZ chocolate peanut bar with Colin.
Sunday morning, I woke up early, and decided to go running in the rain. I got all geared up and was going to use 1 of the 3 bathrooms in the entire hostel on the way out, when a girl zoomed in right before me. I waited a few minutes, but when I heard the shower water I knew I was doomed. I had to resort to using the public bathrooms outside on the beach. I got to thinking of a nice little list of things that I'd like to share.
You know you are at a hostel when...
1. The heater in your room is on like a 10 minute timer.
2. There is one plug outlet in the room.....and the heater is plugged in there.
3. You don't feel okay with letting your bare feet touch the community bathroom floor.
4. You have to 'hire' towels.
5. The bathrooms are lettered: A, B, C, D (bathroom 'D' was closed)
6. There is a random middle aged man dancing in his bedroom with his windows wide open. I think that this was Bob, the guy who ran the hostel, but I just cannot be sure.
7. There is a smell of eggs, hamburgers, and sushi in the kitchen.
8. Everything is in like 7 different languages.
9. There has been the same girl working on the same puzzle for 3 hours 14 minutes.
10. There is a constant race to the bathroom.
Moving on, so after I went running in the lovely rain, Colin and I decided that we would take a waist-deep dip in the extremely cold water at the beach across from the YHA Hostel. Below you will find the video to this awesome event. The reason I say "ouch" is because running on those pebble/rocks is not pleasant no matter how smooth they are when you feel your feet are nearing the point of frostbite.
Sunday is also the day for the famous Farmers Market in Hastings, a town about 15 minutes outside of Napier. We got all packed up and headed over there to check that out and hike Cape Kidnappers (weather permitting, which it did not....) The Farmers Market was exceptional. All kinds of fruits and 'veges', meat and cheese, coffee and tea. Just wonderful. We finished up there and headed to Cape Kidnappers. The fog, high tide, pouring rain, and 5 hour length deterred us from going on this wonderful hike. We ended up getting pretty wet on the beach finding all sorts of wonderful shells and unique rocks and driftwood. I might or might not have filled up half a brown paper shopping bag full of things. It got so wet the handles broke, and the bag started ripping. I did find some amazing treasures though.
I HAD to take some video of this beach. It was so windy and stormy that the waves were magnificent. If you listen carefully, you can hear the hissing sound of the water moving over the pebbles and running back into the ocean. I could have stayed here all day watching the waves.
Anyways, just be praying for this next week. Colin leaves Friday, and I have 2 tests before my Winter Break starts and me and 4 other friends roadtrip on the South Island for a week. I could not be more excited about that - glacier walking, tramping, skiing, more tramping, etc. It is going to be amazing. Miss you all so so much.
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