A little idle time in small doses is ok and sometimes welcomed but currently I am not much into it, however, I think a forced rest is probably a good thing. I’ve been throwing caution to the wind and have been enjoying local New Zealand meats every night along with a couple of beers with Dave and Janice. I’m more or less deaf in my right ear but the world is not spinning at the moment.
I think my remaining time in New Zealand will be anything but idle. I’m getting the hiking bug. I went ahead and booked a reservation to hike the famous Milford Track in early March in the Fiord Lands of the South Island. The Milford Track is not a long and only takes around 3 days or so. It is however world famous and highly regulated for use. A reservation is mandatory and they only allow a limited number of hikers per day. On top of that you have to stay in huts and follow a fixed itinerary. It’s a bit of racket with hut and transportation fees but the scenery is supposed to be stunning. There was only one 3 night slot with two openings for the remaining trekking season. I booked for one so I guess I’m sort of lucky in that regard. There must have been a recent cancellation.
Friday afternoon I went into the small city of Tauranga to run a few errands with Janice and her niece. I wanted to shop at the Mac Pac store as they are having a clearance sale. Mac Pac is a high end New Zealand outdoor gear manufacturer and you can’t find their stuff in America. I bought a new pair of shorts at half price in Auckland at the beginning of my trip. I like them so much that I wanted to buy another pair. I have a very difficult time finding my kind of clothes in America that fit right. Mac Pac tends to fit me really well. American clothing tends to be too baggy and designed for a fuller figure. I’m a medium sized slim guy. The New Zealand cut works for me. Also, I find that clothes in France tend to fit me better as well. I picked up another pair of shorts and a cool pair of pants both at half price. I would have waited until the end of my trip but I didn’t want to miss the clearance sale. So, at least I accomplished that today.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Last night was kind of nice at Janice and Dave’s even though the weather was total crap. A friend of theirs came over and I more or less cooked dinner with some help from Janice while we drank beers. Around 9pm or so I retreated to the caravan and slept well.
This morning Dave drove me to the bus stop in Tauranga and I caught a bus to Turangi. Well, I guess throwing caution to the wind all week caught up with me and I probably shouldn’t have had a 3rd beer last night. I was battling dizziness on the bus all the way to Turangi. It would come and go. The winding road sections and roundabouts were the worst. I’d feel ok then things would get weird then I’d feel ok again. When I switched busses at Rotorua I felt normal but the short ride from there to Turangi had me spinning. By time I got to Turangi I was careful getting off the bus and grabbed my pack. I slowly walked to the front lawn of Tourist Information and sat it out while things calmed down and I felt normal again. It kind of bummed me out. It was an uncomfortable bus ride but not horrible. It was the first time I’ve ever had trouble riding a bus.
Since this is a bank holiday weekend everything is booked so I’ve settled for a decent campsite at a hostel for a couple of nights. The hostel is very basic and the crowd is their 20’s. A young French woman is going to fix some kind of desert crepe for everyone so it seems like a nice bunch of folks.
The town of Turangi doesn’t really do anything for me. I’m really just here for a hike and I don’t imagine staying more than 2 or 3 nights. I’ll join a group from the hostel for the hike tomorrow so I think I’m in a good place considering.
As far as my Meniere’s inner ear issue goes I’m beginning forgo denial and think it’s best to pay more attention to what I eat and drink. Based on my experiments of sorts I’d say beer and coffee are not good for me but a cup of coffee and a bottle of beer are probably ok every now and then. Diet is especially difficult to regulate perfectly on the road but I’ll do what I can. I need to be more mindful of my current state of being as opposed to a more normal state. It might be a good idea to spend more time in a place I really like and not move around too much. I need things to be a little more on my own terms so I don’t think I’ll do anymore volunteer woofing unless the situation really appeals to me. I kind of like the hostels for the social aspect but I should probably avoid shared rooms. Also, it may be a good idea to fork out a few extra bucks from time to time to make things easier for myself. I'm still trying to find my stride but I'm hopeful and am maintaining an overall positive attitude.
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