5/10/2011 - Confusion, Storms and L&P

It's been a little bit of a mess of two days really. After thinking I'd got a real good deal on my rental car, Rob took a look and found I'd been kinda scammed. Most of the time, these companies offer unlimited kms, but since it's the RWC there's been a money-making niche and you now get 100kms free then it's $0.25 per km thereafter. So with Auckland being a good 300kms away, it'd cost far too much. So I'm currently in the process of trying to find a lift or deciding whether to bus or hitch-hike. Don't freak out people at home, hitch-hiking is common here, everyone does it and it's pretty safe.  Then there's the question of accommodation. With the car, I could either drive back the same night or sleep in the car, and with it being the game, everything in Auckland is either booked or expensive. I'll probably end up bussing it, but I'm putting the decision off until tomorrow.

Today is my last day working at the lodge and it's been pretty relaxed, just did some email stuff for Becky and then prepped the rooms for the new guests today. It seems I've been taken off bed-making duty though - I thought they looked pretty but whatevs. I can't really say I'm sad to be leaving tomorrow, but it's not that I'm happy to leave either, I'm quite indifferent about it. Becky and Rob have been good hosts, but there was no real friendship with them like I got in NC. Tomorrow when I go to Bryce and Diane's will be exciting though!

Yesterday I went into town when I finished work to pick up my ticket for Saturday, and it even came in it's own little RWC pack. The weather was lovely yesterday, t-shirt weather. I think the storm from the night before must have blown all the clouds away But boy was there a storm. It was about 12pm and it was so close and so loud, it shook my windows! Needless to say I haven't experiences a storm like that before and it was a bit scary. Back to rain today though - boo!

After I picked up my ticket, I had a nice little wander around Taupo, looking into the shops but not buying anything. Although I very nearly bought something to send home to Nikki, but I'm gonna find something better. I found a gorgeous little store that had all cute things and books in it, I wanted to buy it all. I meant to get the bus back, but I missed it, so I decided to walk back. Becky told me it would take 45mins from town. It actually took an hour and a half, in the totally wrong shoes, uphill. I was not amused. But I did try my first L&P on the way, which was lovely.

Today I skyped Mum and worked, I really do need to pack for tomorrow. The rain is really coming down now. It's so strange being this high up with such a good view, because I think we're inside the cloud right now. If I look out the window to the left, I can't see past the end of the balcony, it's all just white. But if I look to the right I can see a, albeit hazy, view right across the lake as usual. Combined with the heavy rain, this leads me to believe I am in a cloud.