Monday 28th November – 14:51pm – Sat on a bus currently stationary at a bus-stop in Tauranga.

The bus is on the way to Hamilton, via Matamata. 

 

The end of another week brings with it the start of a new adventure, as I am currently venturing to see an old friend. First, however, I must recap on the end of last week;

I realise my last entry was slightly off colour, and am embarrassed I went through a slightly down period whilst in an amazing place. I tried to sort myself out and get back to normal over the rest of the week. I immediately started introducing myself to more of the hostel ‘regulars’, various staff members and permanent residents, who were about most days. There was an eclectic mix of English and Germans, with a sprinkling of the random – the occasional Irish or Canadian would pop up for a day or two then leave. I spent most of my days reading, or at the beach with some of the people from the hostel, then most evenings with Ryan, Joe, Kieran and Marley. We would chill by the beach or skate park, then the lads would eat at the beach side bbq. I was starting to like the Mount, with its sweeping beaches and friendly people.

We had planned to go out for Ryan’s birthday on the Friday night, so I convinced the guys to come to the hostel and have pre-drinks there. We bought far too much alcohol, and as expected got royally drunk. We were loud and it was hilarious. As expected I managed to meet and chat to more of the hostels residents in that one night than I had in my entire week in the place. We played beer-pong, and stumbled out into town at around 10pm. The rest of the night was a blur, but I have distant memories of being very drunk ordering shots, then getting in some sort of altercation, and being kicked out of the club Astrolabe…

I spent the entire next day in bed, not even moving until mid-day. The next 5 hours were spent sleeping, slowing walking to the toilet, being sick, then going back to bed to sleep. I was extremely hungover, and I blame my lack of alcohol exposure since moving to New Zealand. Going from drinking almost everyday in Hawaii, to once a week in New Zealand, has ruined what little tolerance I had left. That Saturday was a right-off, and after sleeping all day I managed to get an early night hoping I would wake up feeling better on the Sunday.

On Sunday, after 12 attempts, I finally got Ryan on the phone and arranged for him to pick me up and take me to the camp site him and the boys were staying at for a few nights. On the way, we tried to corroborate stories from Friday night, and decided on a likely story; some lad stole my chair, so Ryan effectively challenged him and asked him to move, an argument ensued, which lead to Ryan being forcibly removed from the club. Apparently I didn’t take kindly to the bouncer removing Ryan, and forcibly got in-between the two which lead to me being kicked out too… What a start to my NZ nights out! Either way, i’m glad we both made it out unscathed, and am grateful we had each other at the time.

The rest of Sunday was spent laying around the Camp Site chatting, as the electricity cut out whilst we were watching a documentary in the TV room. It was the end to a tiring week, and I managed to read nearly 400 pages of my book in 2 days. Kieran dropped me off at home, and I packed my stuff in anticipation for the next day – my bus was picking me up at 14:15pm to take me back to Hamilton, to meet Ash, then we were heading down south to Taranaki to meet up with Tiaan. I had worked with T over the summer, and she was someone I had wanted to visit since coming to New Zealand. We have booked to stay in a hostel for 2 nights in central New Plymouth, not far from where she lives and have planned to walk up a small mount on Wednesday, then go for drinks.

Yet another bus journey followed. I was literally the only person on the bus from the Mount to Tauranga. I felt like it was my own personal shuttle, until millions of people got on at Tauranga, making it a much more cramped journey from here in out. Another week and I will be in the Bay of Islands, staying in an Air b’n’b house with the lads from England, and a few others. I can’t wait! However, first I have to book my flights to Samoa, oh and apply for a Canadian Visa… Am I ever going to go home?