hippies! - Blogabond

Today I took a hike up to Essons (?) valley to Harbour View - about 40mins fairly steep uphill in the heat - but the view of the harbour, and, on the way up, of the valley and the mountains/large hills were fantastic. On the way down the track meandered through cool green bush to the streets of Picton. I stopped for about ten minutes to watch, but mostly listen to a group of bellbirds in one of the trees there - their range of calls was amazing, from a normal tweet-tweet to a weird sound that wouldn't be out of place in a dance mix... very strange but very cool.

Back at the hostel, where it's too easy to just chill out all day... I... chill out at the hostel for the rest of the day (after having my first NZ pie from the local bakery!). I meet a German guy called Marco and we talk for ages about NZ, Germany and hiking - he's a serious hiker, having done the Tongariro Circuit and the Abel Tasman Coastal track. He also had some pretty wild stories about his hitchhiking experiences in NZ!!! Later on Per gives me a bowl of homemade pad thai (he learnt how to make it in thailand) for dinner (I must look hungry), which is tasty but so spicy my mouth goes numb!
I also meet some an Israeli couple of who are fascinating to talk to - the conversation moves from the normal where are you from-where are you going stuff, to insights into the Israeli side of the Israel-Palestine issue, and foreign media sensationalisation of it, to their life on a kibbutz, and the hardships on themselves and their relationship by Israel's compulsory military service. The girl recounts a Swiss guy who complained at length to her about his (of course, neutral!!!) country's compulsory service: "You cannot complain to an Israeli about such things!" she says, slightly disbelieving.

Later on still two American hippies turn up. They're came over for the Rainbow Gathering, which was held last month. They're a bit strange, but interesting to watch in the way they immeadiately take over the place and start using the toys and the space. The girl is very chilled out and cool - and she cooks up a bit communal pot of chai on the stove, which is great! The guy also shows me and Marco some juggling tricks to practice (once we manage the basics, obviously...). Then Israeli guy starts playing the digeridoo that is lying around, and teaching another German guy how to play it, the fairy lights are turned on and the stereo bought out, and it's a very cool atmosphere, with people juggling, dancing, hula hooping and just sitting on the deck chatting. It winds down about 11 (though the american guy has to be told to wind it down by the hostel owner!).

written by

LizIsHere on February 15, 2010 from Picton, New Zealand

from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

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