Beautiful stranger

Queenstown is horrid. In the same way as Chamonix is nasty as Ambleside is awful, as Blackpool is a parody of itself. It's just nasty. And I'm here for six days, although most of those out in the hills. The only plus side is the town sees itself as a downhill mountain biking mecca so maybe, just maybe, there'll be some interesting t-shirts …

1. The Japanese girl in the dorm yesterday in Oamaru is in a constant state of wonder. Big wide eyes opening at every experience anyone discloses to her. It makes her just fabulous company, in her world everything is new, vibrant, exciting and things are whirling around her like a toddler in a fun fair. She's managed to retain a youthful innocence and air of surprise even though she's been on the road for some time. She's hugely impressed with the German woman's hitchhiking prowess, she loves the Chinese woman's working stay methods. She's excited by everything. She showed me pictures on her mobile phone of her pushing a luggage trolley into the wall at Kings Cross station as per Harry Potter … I love being around people like her. It makes me lose for a moment or ten my highly attuned bullshit barometer and appreciate the world through her eyes.
2. I have had proper prolonged conversations with three lots of folk today. At least. Bumped into a couple at the cheese factory today who I'd met and engaged with over penny farthing rides yesterday. One thing led to another and we spent an hour drinking coffee (and eating cheese) and talking life on the road. Auckland residents. Talked to another lady, long distance lorry driver (what other kind are there?) from Perth for half an hour at the bus stop during which time she told me her pains, her dreams, her troubles, her hopes and ambitions. I seem to attract confidences, proper discussions about people's deep down feelings from time to time. She was extraordinary and interesting. Then sat with a guy from Dunedin on the bus for an hour exchanging tales of our home towns and what makes them great. He was returning from Istanbul, interesting tales, particularly the one about the Aussie guys next to him on the flight having a proper full on ding dong fist fight on the plane.
3. Sheep and cows
4. Liquor stores. I love the kiwi way of naming things. Every thing with a name like liquor store looks like a bargain booze. They don't have butchers either, they have meat shops. Take away the frills and froth from anything.
5. Almonds and Apricots. I'm in a country where two of my favourite tastes are cheap and plentiful.
6. Beer bottles with kind of ring pull tops. Genius. Hic.
7. Truly awesome hostel. My bunk has it's own curtains, its own light (yeay, I no longer have to lie in bed staring at the ceiling when I wake up at 6:30 and just stay quiet not to disturb others), its own socket point, no more fighting with folk, and under the bed a mahoosive lockable drawer. All this time I have carried with me my climbing wall padlock and key and now at the time I probably need it most, I get to use it. I'm out on a training course for a few days, and knowing the netbook is safely tucked up is a very good thing.
8. Toiletries. I'm in a world of discovery. When your main criteria for shower gel (or body wash), shampoo and conditioner is that it comes in a bottle under 90ml you get very accepting. I did try to do without conditioner but the sea water taught me best not to. And I am on honey soap for this week. I am going to smell Sweet (and not in the NZ sense of the word).
9. Buses. Today I had connecting buses. The first one was half an hour late and the second one waited for me, how awesome is that (for me, not the other 40 passengers sat waiting). Slight improvement on the bus service of a few days ago when I helped to push start it. All part of the kiwi experience, the pushing of buses …
10. Icebreaker merino. It's an investment, not an indulgence … honest.

And the words “in love with a beautiful stranger” are zizzing around a very mellow head.