Friday, May 25

May 25, 2007

We woke up this morning around 9, and I was able to run a bath of mostly hot water and sit in the spa jets for a few minutes before it got too cold and it was time to get ready to check out at 10 am.

Josh made us breakfast – a ham and cheese sandwich and a quesadilla (we had one leftover burrito shell to use) which were really good. We checked out on time at 10:00, and then we needed to deposit another $100 into Debs account for the house in Lake Tekapo. We set out from the hotel thinking we would walk to the bank; however, about 50 yards down the sidewalk we remembered our walking experience the day before. We promptly turned around and decided to drive to the bank.

However, we ended up driving, and driving, and driving as we tried to find a parking spot closer to the bank than our hotel had been. After circling the city center a few times – by the way, there are two or three National Banks along this street we keep driving down… why can’t we park anywhere??? – we found a 10-minute parking spot a block away from the bank. Ok, 10 minutes, we must navigate across two intersections, run down the main street about 200 yards, get into the bank, fill out the appropriate deposit and withdrawal forms, double check the account numbers on everything, make the transactions, and run back. To say the least, 10 minutes wasn’t looking possible.

In spite of the odds against us, we reached the bank, stood in line and the bank teller asked Josh for another piece of identification because she could not “validate” his Arkansas driver’s license – thanks lady, we’re about to get our second parking ticket… hurry!!! Besides, this was the first time we’d heard that line, and we were somewhat baffled by our identification, which includes a photo and signature, not being good enough… additionally, this was the id used to establish our accounts. What gives? Finally, the teller was in the computer system she saw that Josh had opened the bank account with that particular card…success!

It took 15 minutes at the bank and back to the car but we didn’t have a ticket…total score! Yes, we celebrated scamming the Dunedin parking authority out of five minutes of payment. Finally, we were out of Dunedin as the clouds rolled in and a light rain started to fall.

We were expecting a long driving day of about five hours, as we crossed back from the east to west coast of NZ for the umpteenth time during our stay. Josh said that I clearly planned this trip to be completely comprehensive – that is, I looked at a map and said, “if there’s a road going somewhere; we’re going to drive on it.”

As we departed Dunedin, we turned Sunny T’s radio on, something we like to try to do daily. We were happy to have a choice of radio stations for the first time in… well, since arriving on the South Island. We scanned through all three stations to realize that they were not something we wanted to hear – hooray, we have yet to listen to more than one song in almost a month… hope the music world is still plugging along. Anytime we get a half static-y song we say "We've got our complimentary one song for the day."

Shortly after leaving the “main road” and getting on the side road to cross the country again, we spot a place called Moeraki Boulders. I remembered that this was supposed to be a cool site so I told Josh to stop. Hmm….why not, only four more hours of mountain driving left. We stop and park at the designated area. Then, we begin a half a kilometer walk down the beach to the “boulders.” I found it fun to take lots of pictures of these, but Josh was unimpressed. Josh contended that these weren’t boulders so much as rocks on the beach. On the way back to the car, we determined that the place should be renamed Turtle Shell Bay or something since the rocks looked more like a bunch of turtles climbing out of the ocean.

Later, we arrived in Oamaru, our last “big” town before we arrived at our spot for the night. In Oamaru, we bought gas, split some McDonalds (split = Janell eats all the fries and a burger and drinks all the soda, while Josh gets one plain cheeseburger…bad deal according to Josh but at the time he said he didn't want anything), and went to the liquor store. Josh bought some Absinthe, which is 90% alcohol and not legally sold in the USA. I didn’t want anything to do with that…I don’t have a death wish. I told Josh it was all his.

Leaving McDonalds and getting back into the car where we had left the cell phone, I heard I had a message from Angela at PNP. The battery was low and by the time we reached our destination in Twizel I had a message from Cushla at PNP too.

After setting into our place for the night – a super cozy B&B located just off the road with an unreal view of Mt. Cook and the night sky – I called back and spoke to Angela about still being on holiday and getting my UCOL contract. Done! I’m free from Palmerston North Personnel! No more temp jobs for me or phone calls trying to place me…my file, according to Angela, is closed!

After taking care of business with the PNP folks, we set up inside the B&B. The place has four rooms, but only one other couple is staying here while we are here. The house is built as a long rectangle with two rooms on each end with a living room, dining area and kitchen separating the two sides. We are on one end and the other couple is at the other end of the place. I take up residence in our bedroom and begin typing up what is quickly becoming the novel of our South Island trip, while Josh continues reading his book in the living room. Josh also takes the initiative to build a fire in the log burner since the living room doesn’t have little heaters like the bedrooms. Josh seems to have figured out how to get his fire on, since he’s got the thing going full tilt pretty soon and the living room warmed nicely.

At about 6 pm, I wander into the kitchen to see if Josh is ready for some dinner…and, of course, he’s ready. I make my minestrone soup, and Josh makes up a cheese sandwich. We sit down at the table and begin watching television as if it were our place, or at the very least, we’re the only ones here. The other couple seems content to be in their room – no problems, we’ll take over.

As we’re eating, the other couple leaves, we assume for dinner in town. We continue on, now alone on the premises. At 7pm, we watch American Idol in an empty house. Josh and I realize the place is more hostel-style than B&B. It’s a pretty plush place, it’s only that it’s more communal than what we would think of as a B&B.

For three or four hours following American Idol, I continue trying to catch up on over a weeks worth of journaling…it’s not the easiest thing to do. Josh remains in the lounge reading his book by the fire, which we only hope stays in the log burner. Around 11:30, Josh wanders into the room having finished his book. We didn’t fall asleep until 12:30 or so. Like all isolated places we’ve stayed at, I love the quiet but am afraid of being attacked by some wandering murderer.