Worn Down

Took off toward the Old Stone House.  Had a beer to prepare for the long hike to rainbow falls.  The incredible plantlife in New Zealand is endless.  Now for something amazing about how much the people here care about the environment.  When you enter a forest here you have to wash your shoes going in and out.  As the walk began Kadizzle came across a man repairing one of these wash stations.  There is some sort of disease they call die back New Zealand is trying to stop.  The spores are carried on you shoes.  A lady, Kadizzle, and the repairman had a little conversation about the chemical they used.  It is a clever little device that you step on and pump the cleanser on your shoes.

Up the trail Kadizzle sat down to rest. Along came the same woman at the cleaning station.  She talked about some form of Japanese relaxation.  Reki it is called.  Had a nice talk and moved on.  Came to the first waterfall and had to decide if the hike to the second was in order.  After three or four miles made it to the second waterfall where some families were swimming in the pool.  On the way back Kadizzle saw some boy that looked about sixth grade jumping from high rocks into the river.  It looked like great fun. Later the same boys were jumping from the boat dock back by the stone house.  The four boys looked like they were having a great time just being buddies.  This was childhood as it should be.  The fact that their faces were not plastered into computers was so refreshing.  Kadizzle watched these kids jumping from about twenty feet up off the dock while he had a beer. 

Kadizzle had to burn up some time waiting for the supper portion of the little restaurant to open so he had a very pleasant sit in the shade with his beer.  In need of another beer while the hamburger cooked Kadizzle got up to get one.  When he returned to the table two men were sitting there.  Kadizzle accused them of stealing his seat and asked if he could join them.  The two friendly guys agreed and we had a nice conversation.  A few of there friends came by including a woman who raised Kiwi fruit.  No one had seen the insane hamburgers they serve.  The waiter came to the table with Kadizzle's burger.  No exaggeration it was at least eight inches high, maybe more.  It had a fried egg on it, beets, an onion ring plus the very thick burger.  Although it was impossible to eat Kadizzle managed. It was very tasty.

The people here are so friendly they just don't seem to have the hassle of our country.  Free health care seems to relax everyone.  People were having Christmas parties around us.  So strange having Christmas in the middle of summer.

With little Joey more than happy Kadizzle set off a little drunk back to the bnb.  There was the stream to cross which is a bit of a balancing act on the rocks.  Made it without wet shoes.  As Kadizzle walked up into the magnificent yard of the host there they were.  These two skinny people had been working in the hot sun steady for hours planting palm trees.  The work was paying off the place has the feel of a tropical garden. 

Well it is off to Auckland and on to the south island.  It should be an adventure.  The traffic is bad here on the main road and Kadizzle does not look forward to being in a midget car Nascar race.  So at twelve forty two A. M. maybe sleep will come.  Over and out.