I need to finish packing!
Last night in Dunedin (and New Zealand)! It's around 8:20 (3:20 a.m. Houston) on Friday and I'm in G.G.'s internet lounge again, and yep, there's more MMORPG action going on, although there was a side discussion on Susan Boyle going on too and now all the guys are talking about Texas Hold 'Em. I need to find me a geeky place like this back in Houston.
Today was a typical cold and misty drizzling day in Dunedin. I walked around the City Centre a few times, stopping by different shops. I stopped by this Cambodian noodle house, formally called Apsara but now called "Friendly Khmer" in the morning, and was a bit disappointed because the food wasn't as good as I remembered. Then I stopped by my old flat and walked around the university a bit. It was cool to stop by the old haunts, but after a few hours it got a little bit boring with the bad weather.
I'm still sick, and it's worse than it was yesterday. I was tossing and turning all night, and got out of bed at 8:40 - the latest I've gotten up here. Luckily today was more of a "relaxing" day so I could stop by my hostel every few hours to recharge. I stopped by the pharmacy and then the supermarket, which had the same medicine as the pharmacy but about 75% as expensive. Sigh. There was a slight translation problem at the pharmacy when I asked the woman for some "sore throat drops," and she said, "Drops?" and pointed out some throat sprays. But then she pointed out the "lollies" as they're called here. And then at the supermarket, the cashier asked if I wanted "a wee bag" for my stuff. Hee!
For dinner I stopped at the appropriately-named "Fish & Chips" restaurant, which used to be called Flying Squid. Got the good ol' "fush and chups," and it was just as good as I remembered. Seriously, this is the best fish and chips place ever. And it cost a cool $4.30 NZD or around $2.50 or so USD. The price went up from $3 like it was before, but still worth the price. I was hoping to go get some Tip Top ice cream from Rob Roy Dairy or the famous banana split at Governor's Cafe, but couldn't because I'm sick, so what a sad way to end my trip. (However if when I get back to America I'm too sick to go to work for a few days, I'll forgive NZ). =)
Tomorrow I am getting on the early bus back to Christchurch, and then heading to the airport from the busstop. It's gonna be a 6-hour bus ride, which sucks but hopefully I'll be able to sleep and get some rest. Here's where the time difference gets cool; my flight leaves Christchurch at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, and I'll get to LA at 12 p.m. on Saturday as well.
I can't believe my vacation is ending already. I remember being in Sydney the first few days and wondering how I was going to fill the rest of the 3 weeks. And then I remember getting to NZ and thinking I had 2 weeks left, and then when I reached the South Island and having 1 week left, and now I fly out tomorrow! Insane! I recommend everyone taking a 3-week vacation, because honestly when I thought about stuff (which happened a lot since I traveled by myself), I kept thinking about work. It wasn't until about 2 weeks had passed and I was kayaking in Abel Tasman that it just all faded away and my whole thought perspective completely changed - a nice detox! I thought about my own bed at home for the first time during vacation yesterday, and it's gonna be weird to be driving again too! I pulled out my blackberry yesterday and started to dread when I'd have to turn it on again. There's so many things that I stopped thinking about here.
Now I gotta get back to my hostel and try to fit everything in my 2 bags and even out the weight. Ugh. I hate packing. The wheels on my small roll-on luggage (that I got from work) are completely cracked; I might actually have to throw that away when I get back.
Last journal entry from New Zealand (for now)! It's weird to have nothing left to plan, but kind of good because I am completely exhausted. All my thoughts are jumbled right now so it's hard for me to be coherent, but thanks for reading my semi-adventures!
