A Quiet Sunday

This morning I got up and definitely got a slow start to the day. I finally realized today that the stove burners will produce more heat if I don't have them turned up all the way. The first thing you should know is that the stoves are gas and so I have to light them with a lighter every time I want to cook something. I have never done this before...those of you that really know me, know that I can barely cook anyway. It took me a long time the first day to figure out how to get the burners to work. Anyway, it took FOREVER to get the water to boil for some eggs this morning. I think I was standing there for at least 1/2 hour before I finally stuck them in there with the lid on and just said whatever, I'm going to make this happen.

Anyway, I didn't really know what I was going to do today and it was just one of those Sundays that was cold and rainy and if I were at "home" I would turn the TV on and lay around all day. I can't do that here since there isn't a TV, so I decided to walk up to Newmarket and just wander around a bit. But before I left I got a call from Tony, the yacht broker!!! He said I'm going sailing at "quarter past 2 on Thursday and quarter past 3 on Friday"!!! Hell yes!!! He told me where to meet him and everthing and said to dress warmly. I just can't even explain how thrilled I am! So in Newmarket I bought a $5 pair of windsweats so I can stay dry and then got annoyed with the slow people shopping and decided to go back to the hostel and grab my computer. I uploaded the pictures and did some other things and then headed back to grab some food.

I was trying to stay warm and finish my book by the fire (and decide if I should stay longer at this hostel or move on) when John--the Kiwi guy that asked Lindsey and I to go salsa dancing on the first night--basically told me to go with him to the supermarket since he doesn't like to go by himself. "It's lonely" he said...going to the supermarket? Weird. Anyway, he has a car so I went along for the ride. John spends part of his time here in Auckland and the other part up North. He basically runs a driving school/works for the government in determining whether or not people can drive. He grew up down the street from the hostel and has known the owner for most of his life so he just stays at the hostel when he's in Auckland. He used to be a fisherman up North! He was telling me all the ridiculous stories about catching Marlin and huge Snappers and Sharks. It was crazy! He said he lived off the meat from one of the Snappers for 2 and 1/2 months!!! He's definitely a character to say the least...

Then I went outside to talk to Ian (the hostel owner) about staying some more nights here and ran into Lidia (the Irish girl) and her sister! They asked if I wanted to go on walk down to the harbour so of course I said yes. Lidia's sister is actually younger, and she's here for about a year on this scholarship during her "gap year", to tutor boys at this boarding school for the underprivledged boys and orphans in Auckland. She's basically a glorified R.A. that also is a tutor and she doesn't pay for housing or food and they give her a monthly stipend! What a sweet deal! Her name is Charmon or something like that.

Now I'm finally back at the hostel after 9pm and winding down. I realized that I've got a good thing going at this hostel so I may as well stay some more nights. Plus the German girl that works here that drives me crazy was really nice to me this morning...we had an entire conversation! Haha, I have had a couple of other interesting encounters: I was eating pea pods out of sack the other day (I love raw pea pods) and one of the German girls was like, What? You're eating them like that? Not cooked? I said ya, try it! They're good! So a couple of them tried and really enjoyed them raw! Then tonight I pulled out a celery stick and started eating it when Lidia was like, what? You're eating like that and not cooked? I said, oh yea! It's fun with dressing or peanut butter too so I gave her a bite and she was also a fan! Funny how different cultures eat vegetables...

Okay, the computer buzzed! I'm out.

-Lisa