Well the highs and lows of travel are very high and very low indeed:)<\/p>\n
I am doing well but exhausted and at this point missing some of the comforts of home. I expected this would happen at times but this week, it hit like a brick. Today is officially 1 month away from home. To quote Charles Dickens…”It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”<\/p>\n
So people what I suggest is you hold that wine glass in your hand tight (don’t lie I know it’s there.) And hug that extra pillow you sleep with on the comfy mattress your body is sprawled out on and then look around at all your treasures that you have managed to collect over the years. Why? Because you wanted them, because they’re beautiful, because for whatever reason they spoke to you. I wonder how long after I’m home will it be before I start taking all those things for granted again:)<\/p>\n
So here are some of my lessons. I don’t really do poverty well. I watch the young people around me and they get it, they know how to do it. Even more than that, for them it is not even suffering. It’s just no big deal. For moi on the other hand, the more I try to deny myself, the more I want. If I have a shitty day or stayed in a bad place I treat myself to a great dinner and some wine…usually two and this is, in no way, on my budget. New Zealand and my lack of taking my commitment to poverty serious has put me hugely over budget. I told my son, Kyle, that I was looking forward to getting to Asia where things would be cheaper. He reminded me that Japan was very expensive. I said I knew that and meant the rest of Asia. Then he said, “So you want to get to a third world country so you can exploit them in typical American fashion?” I said, “Yeah, Kyle, I guess that’s about right.” Then we both bust out laughing…what a smart ass. I wonder who he gets that from Robert?<\/p>\n
Lesson two, all hostels are not created equal. I’m actually proud of myself that I am doing this hostel thing at my age…not that I am the only one, but we are definitely in the minority. The young people for the most part have been awesome, as have been most of the hostels….most! So I just escaped the gulag…that was the hostel in Wellington. It was called the Set Up on Dixon and was very oppressive with signs everywhere telling you what you could and could not do. We were told to wash our hands, when to turn off lights, how long to shower etc. Everywhere there was a sign demanding we behave, as if we’re all idiots…of course this totally made me want to misbehave:) The kitchen was poorly appointed and no coffee cups. They said they were in the room and I said they weren’t in my room and he said oh, you’re in a dorm. We don’t put them in dorms. I said, “really, so if you stay in a dorm you’re not allowed to drink coffee or tea? That is ludicrous!” He just smiled and nodded. The family or multi families that ran the place were not friendly and had all the kitchen taped off for their personal belongings….YUK! They should never have been running a hostel…maybe a prison. To contrast that though, the hostel I stayed at in Picton was wonderful, warm and inviting. The couple that ran it were nice and cheerful and went out of their way to make you feel welcomed. They even made fresh biscuits in the morning and set out breads and cereals. It was called Tombstone because it was across from a graveyard so of course they went with a day of the dead sort of theme. Honestly, it was awesome!<\/p>\n
Lesson three, people are people no matter where they’re from and some you click with and some, well, you just don’t:) At Tombstone was one of the most obnoxious people I have met (not as obnoxious as the witch though:) A late 20 something English guy that crawled in to the hot tub with me in his underwear. Not a big deal since I have raised 3 sons and have seen more guys in their underwear on this trip than you can imagine (I wonder how they would feel if I walked around in bra and granny panties:) I think they would be horrified…what’s good for the goose may not work for the gander:) At any rate the English chap speaking very proper English (just imagine the monocle and walking cane type of Englishman but younger:) began to give me a dissertation on everything wrong with America and then went on to slam Australia. I couldn’t get out of that hot tub fast enough and away from that pompous little ass. Then there was the very sweet girl from California that was stuck in the Gulag with me. She had just been there a week and her room was not ready so she had to stay at the hostel. She was looking for a job, the weather was awful and she was very homesick to boot. My heart went out to her. We commiserated over our dreadful accommodations and I encouraged her to hang in there that it could only get better from here. She had a job interview today and I bet she get’s it. The list goes on and on of the people I’ve met and the ones I haven’t. Sometimes you just want to be by yourself:)<\/p>\n
Lesson four, is quality time versus actual time, I vow I will not spend less than 3 days anywhere and preferably four at any point from here on out. I have moved far too often and have just exhausted myself and sometimes missed out on whatever was there to see. Also I have been following summer or so I thought. I have had a total of 3 days of sunshine since I left. The weather has been less than wonderful and cold….not cold like Colorado, but I have had my coat on most of the time. All this said and all these lessons I would not have changed a thing…maybe my current attitude, but that’s it:) I’m heading to Tauranga next to spend 3 days rejuvenating before heading to Japan to meet up with Kyle. I’m hoping in those three days I remember to be grateful for this opportunity and the journey that I am on. There have been many more than four lessons and some I may not process for a while. But all in all I’ve learned that you can teach an old dog new tricks…but sometimes she may bite you while you’re trying:)<\/p>\n
From Rotorua New Zealand….keep smiling and stay warm my friends!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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