man, I typed all of this out yesterday, & it all disappeared when my time ran out. bummer! so, here we go again.
We've been doing a lot of stuff, here's a random assortment:
I learned to do my very 1st official cartwheel, on the beach, the other day. woo-hoo!
I touched a baby seal, twice, as it swam by me.
we viewed dolphins frolicking in the swells of the ocean, even jumping a few times, from Pancake Rocks, which are beautiful layered cliffs
hiked a rain forest area, up Mt. Stormy, clambering up and down root systems, very glad we're not in Oz, so we don't have to think about all the crazy poisonous stuff that can easily kill you, though it'd certainly add to the adventure!
had a group of teen boys surround me while I was stretching out, asking if I was a circus act! should I be insulted? I've never been asked if I were in the circus before...
hiked through the Fox River, past stunning rock faces reminiscent of the San Juans, to the Ballroom Overhang, which could probably hold 100 ppl, under which we slept peacefully (once the sandflies died down for the night). it's where I awoke on my 26th b-day.
painted my face w/ raspberries like the traditional Maori facial tattoos.
slept in a house (on a mattress on the floor in my sleeping bag), for the 1st time since Jan. 25! wow! took a hot shower (1st 1 since leaving Nelson 2 weeks ago, otherwise just bathing in rivers & the ocean), ate at a table w/ bowls & silverware, cooked oatmeal/porridge, fell asleep to movies.
stayed w/ a fascinating family in Christchurch area for 2 nights. have 11 kids, eclectic bunch--parents used to be prima ballerinas, live in a house filled w/ a daughter's oil paintings, another daughter owns a coffee shop & is the NZ women's nat'l fencing champion, another is a wedding dress designer. good to interact w/ new people again.
listened to live music, a band featuring a lead singer w/ a lisp, another who looked like the comedy version of a history prof, & a robotic drummer who played in such a stiff style he resembled Forrest Gump
highlight: attending the Wild Foods Festival in Hokitika, a town of 4000 that adds 18000 for the festival! lots of drinking, drinking, drinking everywhere, bonfires on the beach, a small fireworks display, more drinking.
We gave ourselves a personal mission of taking pictures w/ 20 different dressed-up groups, w/ a "say no to didymo" bumper sticker (an algae that's infesting NZ rivers). we had pics w/ guys dressed in Alcatraz orange jumpsuits, pirates, cops wearing Speedos, the actual security guys, professional tennis players from the 80's, craziness!
Though we passed on trying huhu grubs, worms, pig's eyeballs in Mac & cheese, and grasshoppers, we did try ostrich pie (not too bad), sheep testicles ("mountain oysters"--not horrible, as long as you didn't think about it) served by old guys, & an oyster in tabasco & lemon juice (which was nasty). Good times were had by all.
