Since returning from the East Cape, I’ve felt better about my current place of residence. Rotorua is the biggest town around for miles, and there’s a lot going on here, comparatively.
After posting on Saturday I had a nice long video conversation with Dad. It was really nice to catch up and “e-hang” from opposite ends of the Earth.
I worked Sunday from 8:30-3:00. It was pretty quiet when I arrived, but things picked up around 9:30. From then on it was steady-busy for the rest of the day. Luke was on duty as floater from 10:00-1:30 which relieved me from having to serve food and clear tables, so I was able to jam at the sink. Gary made me a special Zippy scramble when I told him I hadn’t eaten breakfast and saved me a container of his signature spice mix to use at home. Morgan made me a flat white to keep me buzzing through the morning. I haven’t been drinking caffiene everyday because I don’t want to become dependent on it, but boy does it help. Between being a cyclist and working at a cafe there’s really no excuse for NOT having a caffiene addiction, but I may as well fend it off a while longer, haha.
For lunch I chowed down on the cashew chicken stir fry and had another *decaf* drink. Sue in the kitchen sent me home with a container of leftover corn chips, which I still haven’t figured how to incorporate into a meal.
After lunch I went to Gary’s house just outside of downtown. He had invited me over to share some lettuce from his garden. It was super sweet. We picked a solid bag full, and even today I still have enough left for a couple meals. I met his wife too, and they sent me home with a bunch of onions and some canned goods. I felt super taken care of. Gary has been incredibly generous since I met him, and is my role model for respecting others. I’m still thinking how to repay the favor.
Yesterday I had a nice breakfast and went for a walk around Blue Lake. It was a 5.5km loop and it took me an hour. It was cloudy, but it still felt great to get moving. Just as I made it back to the car I got a text from Gary saying he had some gluten-free stuff for me at Zippy’s. Perfect timing. I was already planning to head to work for a coffee (decaf) and some screen time. Turns out one of our suppliers had given out some samples, and Gary had set aside a loaf of G-free bread for me. How thoughtful.
I went next door to the bike shop and rebuilt my headset, which had started to creak. I loaded up my bike to bring home. And of course, there was some classic shop banter involved.
Next I went to a Mediterranean foods store downtown. They had some really good stuff including free range pork sausages. I chatted up the owner for awhile too. She was super sweet. I didn’t buy anything but definitely plan to go back. They have a bunch of outrageously expensive exotic foods, but some of their bulk items like nuts are actually cheaper than the supermarket. A hidden gem.
Back home I had a super quick and small lunch cause it was already 4pm. I spent the next couple hours pulling weeds next to the driveway. I took a break in the middle to ride the backyard track with Mike and Kath. It was a lot harder than it looked and I definitely made a fool of myself. I suppose that’s what it was designed for, a challenge.
For dinner I sauted onions, asparagus, celery, and capsicum, stirred in a little brown rice from the previous night, and heated up a sausage. Decent meal.
Today I had an awesome breakfast of two poached eggs with a dab of pesto, with a salad of Gary’s lettuce, sunflower seeds, tomato, goats milk feta, and avocado. Next I drove the long way around the lake to a hike up the backside of Mount Ngongotaha. It was my first time driving on the road that goes along the north side of lake Rotorua. It winded right along the shore. Gorgeous.
The hike was only 6kms but had a fair amount of vertical. I went up the Jubilee track which was basically a steep, rooty scramble up the fall line. At the top I met a very friendly French family. The son had just moved to New Zealand after living in Australia for a year, so he was able to offer me some advice on where to go when my time comes. The parents shared their dark chocolate. Yum. Right as they were leaving an older Kiwi man came tramping up to the summit. We chatted for a while and he shared some water and cashews. How do I get so lucky? I caught up to him on the way down and we walked together for awhile.
Now I’m at Zippy’s sipping a decaf cappuccino, loving life. Next I’ll go to Countdown, the other supermarket, to peruse the inventory. I thought it was going to rain today, but the weather’s beautiful. Too bad I didn’t go for a ride. I will tomorrow. Thursday I might join Kath for her yoga session, who knows?
Oh, and next time someone asks me my favorite food, I’ll finally know how to answer: peanut butter.
Be well.
My adventure in New Zealand 