Dawdling

November 23, 2010

My key has been found!  It was with the reception this whole time!  Can you believe that?  The girl at reception told me they had all the keys accounted for for my room and that one of the guys must have turned my key in!  So I have a new key now!  Yay!  Praise God!  He answered that prayer for sure!  It was in a safe place this whole time!

I went for a couple walks this morning.  I made sure to get up before the bathrooms and kitchen closed.  So I got clean and got food and marched out to the Tasman Sea.  I feel so honored to be here in New Zealand seeing the Tasman Sea.  I feel like half my time here is spent pinching myself. Is this real?  Am I really in New Zealand?  Have my dreams really come true?  

So yes they have.  I stood on the beach today and looked out over the Tasman Sea.  I was in a place that I have never been before.  That’s the best thing in the world: to be in a place where I’ve never been.  If I could spend my life going to places I’ve never been before I think that would be so amazing.  

I then walked across town to the King Walk.  This was a steep muddy walk!  But it was well worth it because I had so many fabulous views of the surrounding countryside.  Again, can I just say how great it is to be here!?!  Every time I turn around there is something more beautiful and brilliant to see.  You’ve got rivers, mountains, seas, farmland, and towns.  The landscape is varied and that gives it more room for the imagination.  I’m so blessed to be here.

So I climbed and climbed up through the mud and dirt through what they call “bush” here in New Zealand.  I think the reason it feels like bush and not a forest is all the ferns.  They have some of the tallest, most majestic ferns I’ve ever seen.  In fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen ferns like these ferns.  You look across to the hills and see not evergreens, but ferns!  The first couple views were of the Grey River, Greymouth, and the Tasman Sea.  Then the higher I climbed I came to the other side of the hill and looked back toward the mountains and the farms.  My breath was just taken away!

Climbing back down was harder than I thought it would be and I almost slipped a couple times.  Yuck!  That wouldn’t have been fun at all because then I would have had slimy, mud all over my butt!

I came back to the hostel in time to get some washing done.  Let me tell you my jeans really needed it.  The girl at the reception was so friendly. She even moved my wet clothes to the dryer and started for me.  

I went back to town for some ice cream.  I keep seeing regular people walking down the street with an ice cream cone in hand. I had to have one.  On my way I also looked for my bus stop for tomorrow’s bus to Fox Glacier.  I kind of wandered around and ran into some of the camera news crews.  Then I realized that I was across the street from the police station.  Just as I was passing I saw the CEO of the mine company exiting the police station.  Well I just kept praying under my breath.  I really want to see these miners rescued!

I’m kind of tired and my mind seems to wander a bit too much to keep up this blog tonight.  My thoughts range from crossing the street in this country to food to sleep. . . 

I think I’m going to just say this is good.  I have more I want to say but not the energy to say it.  Wish me luck tomorrow because I’m headed to Fox Glacier and a possible job!

I love you guys.  Thanks for reading.