Get fire wise

Ever stand under a tin roof when it’s pouring and hear how deafening the rain is? Try sleeping under it.

 The night was full of gusting winds and pouring rain, an unpleasant experience for both Annie and I. However, the weather was about tenfold better than our last few locations temperature-wise. The run this morning was more suburban than the usual jaunt; I ran outside of the Settler’s campgrounds and simply followed the sound of the ocean. The beach would have been spectacular given the right circumstances, but for this morning it was gloomy. There were a few islands just off the shore which were covered in native forest- so unique. The seagulls were having a blast riding the wind despite the spits of rain. The rain was coming and going, and I got stuck in it for a bit but then it lightened up again. Heading back towards town, I ran the main strip to take in a bit of the local culture. Much of what I saw screamed surf town which makes sense considering that the beach itself is known as a surfer’s paradise. As I headed up the main strip I took note of the kiwi fire station which, unlike ours, was painted in vibrant colors and read “c’mon guys, get fire wise”. As distracting as the painting was, I was even more intrigued by the playground behind the station. Without a second thought, I leapt onto the “adventure” playground (for big kids I’m sure) and attempted to conquer each of the different monkey-bar obstacles in turn. What I didn’t realize is that the firemen, mid-breakfast, were all watching, mouths open. I’m sure they were wondering what a fresh out of college 21 year old was doing playing on a playground. They’re just jealous.

Our firestations are so lame.

Given the fact that NZ was being hit by a tropical storm, Annie and I opted to take the quick route back to Auckland and cut Cathedral Cove. It’s a pity, really, but since we had to be sure to have the van back by 4:30 and the weather was just horrid, it was the best decision. It was nice though, as we drove through the Coromandel Forest Park the recent downpours provided plenty of waterfalls for us to oogle at as I guided Congo around the many, many curves through the mountains. If you imagine Jurassic Park, that’s pretty close to what we drove though today.

Just on the side of the road. Whatever. It's normal.

Once we reached a more tame area, the landscape resumed to rolling green hills and cows and sheep as far as the eye can see. This scenery continued until we reached a highway closer to Auckland where we stopped to clean out Congo. This was an arduous process, since the non-stop-on-the-go lifestyle didn’t give us much, really any, time to keep him tidy.

Coming back into Auckland was bittersweet, it was good to know that I would be sleeping in a building and not have to go outdoors in the elements to cook or shower, but I really hate cities and leaving the countryside. Auckland on a sunny day (it actually got nice for us) is a pretty wonderful place to behold and I’m looking forward to exploring tomorrow.

It's not raining in Auckland... WHAT?!