Say Goodbye

I never can say goodbye, oh nononono, I never can say goodbye. Every time I think I've had enough and start heading for the door …

Tomorrow is travel day. Hence the goodbye type lyrics pounding through my head.

I am such a tourist. Tonight is my last (6^th) night in Rotorua so today was a thriftless tourist day. I went to Hells Gate and bathed in mud and in warm geothermal water. My skin feels drowsy and there's a slight tang of sulphur in everything I wear.

Today I am thankful for:

1. Mud. Glorious mud. You can start taking for granted that you pass by mud which steams and boils. I took a couple of steps back today to really appreciate the incredible nature of it, and to be astounded that the magma spike is near enough to the earth's surface to create this somewhat incredible environment. Temperatures close to water's boiling point and one pool with a pH of 1. How amazing is that. I really shouldn't take these natural phenomena for granted.
2. Annapurna pack. It's packed, it's ready and this time it isn't half so heavy and I'm not using the extended top bit. Thank goodness. Some things have been chucked, some given away, others are packed up ready to await my return in the UK.
3. Gabitril. I don't even know what Gabitril is, but I do know that it's the name on the side of my thermal mug, which I assume was a many years ago freebie arriving in my household. But I do love the mug. The size and volume of it making it one of the luxuries I'm travelling with. It's lack of known history adds to its air of mystery and makes me smile.
4. Camping. Yeay, I'm camping tomorrow night. I'm very excited and have had another trial run to put the tent up. A little apprehensive, but hey, it's a tent, what can possibly go wrong … I suspect this isn't the last we will hear of the tent.
5. Fast drying clothes. Hope they are dry by the morning. Currently have hanging one pair of shorts, one t-shirt, a swimming costume, cycling shorts, a pair of socks and PJ bottoms (shorts for those who are concerned I may have taken fleece with me).
6. Post Christmas sales. Particularly in the cake department which I have to thank for the spicy apple strudels.
7. Kiwi tour guides. Oh my word, they are bizarre. The weird American type thing where insincerity dresses up as sincerity, and everything is jolly, happy and everyone is their best friend. I'm totally reciprocating. Because I can.
8. Wraps at the museum. I should have returned to the hostel for an exciting cheese sandwich, but sod it, had a wonderful wrap at the museum. Everything was in it. Chicken, bacon, brie, peppers, lettuce, cabbage, unidentifiable greenery. A crunchy packed piece of goodness.
9. Rain. Warm rain, the type you don't bother with a coat for. Because being, as I am, dressed by North Face I don't get cold and clothes dry out. The whole co-ordinated North Face look is an accident. They are the only light weight leg zip off trousers I have and have been invaluable. Equally of the two light weight poly quick drying Ts I possess, one is North Face, the other (predictably given my previous job) is Adidas. I wash them on alternate days.
10. Bacon and eggs. On Toast. My tea. Sweet.

It's funny, there's a bit of me feels some sense of shame that I'm not being more brave and adventurous. I don't even know why. I can't decide if it's because I feel I should be pushing myself more or if it's a “what will folk think?” type thing. I confess, the latter is slightly less likely because generally that's not really how I roll. Or is it I wonder. Do I feel I'll be judged if I simply gently meander my way along, being me, just being not so much doing. I'm liking the being not doing. It feels like my mind is taking a long needed holiday.