So the days in Paihia passed in a bit of a blur...not cause of alcoholic consumption but because (mums gonna kill me) i was hanging out with Dain...yes Lijanne has managed to fall head first for a Yank (ok so i dont hate them so much anymore!) He likes hiking too so we donned our boots and trekked to this waterfall called Haruru Falls, was a 4hour round trip filled with mangroves, strange birds that seeemed intent on freaking us out, broken paths and fallen trees. Was such good fun! The falls at the end werent that big but really noisy! Funniest thing was arriving at the falls and looknig to our left seeing a huge car park with loads of people in it!! We thought we were special having walked so far to get to it, hehe. Mauri legend has it that a monster lives under these falls causing them to be so loud.
Went back to the lodge for tea, after stopping to watch some little Mauri kids jumping off a bridge into the sea...everyone is an adreneline seeker in NZ!! Then headed to the bar for a couple of drinks. Scott made us both spag bol (which i had to explain to Dain what it was!! Blooming stuupid americans, lol) which was the yummist thing id eaten all week...seem to be living on cream crackers, avocadoes and philly! given up on noodles already and gettin tired of pasta, its so boring!! Missing my own fabulous cooking but its tough when u have no spices etc and i barely have room to carry them with me!
So my extended stay in Paihia was up after 5days as had to go meet Lauren and Shane in Auckland on the Weds. Really really sad to leave everyone as had felt id just kinda fitted into the group so easily and had had such a giggle. They were all trying to get me to bring Loz and Shane back up with me the next day! Said bye to Dain, who i am meeting up with next week when he leaves PAihia and we are going to go on a (not so lonesome) adventure across the Tongariro crossing in the North Island!!! Get to walk over volcanoes and lagoons and crazy landscapes for a 4day hike, so so excited about it!! Bus journey felt long as relived my past few days in Paihia in my head...be glad to see Lauren and Shane but want to be back by the sea not the city!!!
