After wallowing in a ball of self pity and ice cream for a few days I decided something: I've already let that fool dictate when I left the Sounds, I'm not about to let him spoil the rest of my trip. Palmy has been great fun from then on out...I got to catch up with people, and there is nothing like a good Body Jam sesh and a Palmy sunset over the bridge near Massey to make me feel like all is right with the world. And yes, Body Jam was as spectacular as ever! We may not have practiced the jungle monkey or the peacock dancing, but I can rock it like there's no tomorrow the day the clubs decide to bring back N'Sync. And the instructor recognized me. From 2 years ago. Not sure if it's because I'm so noticeably tall or because of my moves. I'm assuming my moves. And how awesome of a dancer I was.
Anyway, Palmy has been the perfect home away from home, and Talya has been the perfect fake mum. (She even books my bus and plane tickets for me!) But lately I've been itching for more. And that 'more' is Taupo. To be precise, 12,000 feet above Taupo. I've decided to skydive!! I embarked on my first solo hitchhiking adventure, and I wish Erin were here for it because she would have loved it.
I'm currently in Taupo, but getting here was a mission. A quick glance at a map will reveal that Palmerston North and Taupo are only a few hours apart. I left Palmy at 10am. I didn't reach Taupo until 7:45. In fact, I passed Taupo on my way to Rotorua around 3ish. God only knows what possessed me to go there. After walking for ages to the edge of town (I always forget how far it is) I got picked up in the first 5 minutes by a rad sales rep named Zach. Hold up #1...we got maybe 25 minutes out of Palmy before he realized he had forgotten his wallet in the hotel, so we had to go back. But it was ok, because after he got his wallet he bought me a V energy drink. And then it got weird because the gas station attendant thought we were a couple and addressed us as so. On the way north he had to stop and see a customer in Ohakune in the Tongariro National Park. A giant carrot, "reputably the world's largest model carrot" (wikipedia. Look it up. it's true), marks the entrance to this idyllic town. After his meeting he took me up to Mt Ruapehu, which had some stunning views. We parted ways near Turangi, but not before he bought me a coffee. Oh the joys of hitch hiking with no schedule.
I had hardly finished my coffee when I got picked up by a trucker named Vaughn who was on his way to Rotorua. As we neared Taupo he said that there was skydiving in Rotorua as well and I could possibly have dinner with him and his family. Coupled with the thought of meeting up with Moritz, who I thought was already in Rotorua, I decided to continue on to Rotorua. Vaughn had some crazy stories and was telling me about how he can feel pain in people when he touches them and can heal them or something. He was telling me how he can feel the energies between his hands and stuff like that and how he has healed his wife before. I debated telling him about the muscle I pulled while running (because it actually does really hurt), but decided that asking a complete stranger to touch the muscles near my butt probably wasn't my smartest idea. But I was tempted. It wasn't until we were well past Taupo that I realized Moritz is in fact not there yet, and Vaughn was talking about dinner the next night and not tonight. As with the prospect of meeting up with friends and eating free food, my desire to find myself in Rotorua went out the window in a matter of seconds. I could smell Rotorua before I saw it. Eggs. Rotten eggs. And then I saw it's putrid fumes rising up from the pools. It was 5 by the time we reached town, and by then I had made up my mind. With the sun just starting it's descent, I waved goodbye to Vaughn, waited until he was out of sight, and started walking myself back to Taupo with my thumb out and determination stamped across my face. I would not spend my time in Roto-ruin-my-life. (Ok, its not that bad. But it's not my favorite place either)
I met a german guy who was going the same way as I was, so we decided to join forces. It didn't take long before we got picked up by Kaylie and Sione, who were on their way to Napier. At one point Kaylie asked if I had been in any sketchy situations with hitching. I told them about the time Erin and I were stranded in Raopunga, and they both said we were reallllly lucky to get out of that as well as we did. Apparently, almost every family there is part of Black Power. I said that we had been picked up in Taranaki by a member of Black Power and he was surprisingly really cool and nice. I was then informed that Sione is president of the Black Power branch in Rotorua or something. Me and my big mouth. We stopped off at their farm in Reporoa (about halfway to Taupo) so they could get some stuff for camping, and we ended up hanging out there for over an hour just playing with the pets and talking and drinking coffee and having a grand old time. When they dropped us off in Taupo, we exchanged numbers and they said I would have a free place to stay if I was ever in the area. If I am, I'm definitely taking them up on that offer. I managed to find a hostel last minute and lower the price from $30 a night to $23 a night. Score!
Tomorrow...I jump out of a plane! -K
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