Vagabond Days

Ah, the best laid plans of mice and rats...

Traveling around the North Island was supposed to be easy breezy, being passed from person to person. Alas those people have lives and schedules and aren't on holiday as well!

After a nice (albeit a bit wet-- 4 inches of rain on Saturday!) weekend with some lovely people in Tauranga, I was dropped in town this morning at 7am. (I am NOT a morning person.) No onward bus yet booked, and not able to reach the person I am hoping to stay with this evening in Taupo, I went to Starbucks to pass the time. I don't make a habit of going to Starbucks, but not much else was open at that hour, especially where I could settle in and read my book for an hour and a half.

The bus is now booked for Taupo, but I still haven't been able to talk to the woman in Taupo, so she has no idea that I'm coming. Last I spoke to her, a week ago, I had said that I didn't think I'd be able to make it down there, but would let her know if I could. The day after that call she left town for a week and I found that my hiking trip up north was canceled, so I could stay come visit. Considering how many times during the call she said I sounded beautiful, I am assuming I will be welcomed. That is if she got the email or phone message I left.

Adventures in traveling. It wouldn't be so bad wandering around homelessly if I didn't have this huge pack on my back and looked like a vagabond. (I can't wait to get to the States next week, however briefly, so I can get rid of a bunch of stuff and not walk doubled over. I've tried changing my posture so that I walk a bit more erectly, and work on my abs at the same time, for my six pack has been diminished to about two.)