Going nowhere
Trip Start
Oct 14, 2008
1
8
136
Trip End
Ongoing
Kaihu, North Island, New Zealand
Monday, October 27, 2008
Kaihu Farm - Kaihu Farm, distance traveled about 10km,
Likelihood of death rating: High
Short
* It was raining and windy so stayed semi-still today.
* Met nice people went to look at big tree's
* Had hot spring.
In full:
I set of this morning with every intension of going to Opononi (which i think sounds like 'I want a pony') but I set off and it was either very strong winds (like might just blow you over sort of strong) or heavy rain (like leaving bruising on your skin rain) or both or sunny (it has trouble making up its mind some times)
Tree
. I made it about 5km down the road and fearing I'd either get blown off or onto the road or maybe just freeze to death I turned round and went back to the bad advice giving Kaihu Farm.Everyone seemed OK with my return, they were all driving so couldn't say much (I was a bit ashamed of my quiting attitude but I'm holiday and would like to live through it). I feared I'd have to hang around the hostel all day with the bad advice giving, bit crazy, shouting at people who can't speak English owners. Two ladies from Auckland came to my aid and said I could join them on a ticky tour (a tour going round seeing local sites i.e. ticking boxes - i like this expression).
We filled the day! I felt a little like I was intruding at first, it's not like they were bumming around for a year together, they were only away for the labor day weekend (which is a bank holiday in New Zealand to celebrate the 40hr working week which like the EU working time directive almost everyone exceeds). They were very relaxed though and seemed happy enough to have me along.
We visited the Waipoura forest where i was suppose to be cycling to look at giant old Kauri tree's (growing for 2000yrs) which were cool (on a reminiscing note, i went to the kauri museum in Paparoa (there are pictures), which was not cool - it was dull despite some people getting quite excited about it they clearly need more stimulus in there lives). Anyway after the big tree's (cool and culturally significant). We stopped for coffee, i whole hearted approved of this decision.
We found a leaflet for a place down the road that had a labyrinth and made puzzles - we set off
Forest
. It was a little further than we expected, as I'm discovering many places are but it was ace. It was a shop full of puzzles we had a go at a few and I engaged in geeky puzzle chat with the owner from my time working in a toy shop (it not often you can do that) and he told me all about puzzle conferences, which are apparently held all over the world and are tax deductible!The actual labyrinth wasn't finished so went for a walk (it stop raining/galing at this stage) to a surprisingly pretty waterfall, not that waterfalls aren't usually pretty but this one exceeded expectations. Then we were off again to Rawene for lunch, which is another sweet town (big for area) I will hopefully cycle back this way.
With lunch done, some craft shops perused we headed for a hot spring (this had been an early suggestion so we all had our swimming stuff with us). This was also great, I wore my unflattering board shorts and hoped between poles of different temperatures (mainly hoping because the concrete was bit spike and i don't have hard NZ feet yet, many people here think nothing of wondering round town barefoot.)
Then it was back towards the hostel down a unsealed round which, zigged and zagged its way across country and hat off to Kate who was driving, i would have gone to pieces what with the gravel and the bends the signs about flooding and falling rocks, it started to get dark but she took it all in her stride!
This day was random but alot of fun!
