March 16 - 10 pm

Another night, another hostel bed. Waitomo is where I'm sleeping tonight. This is where they have caves - lots of them - with tours and rafting and all sorts of things to make money off the tourists. I traveled all the way here from Hamilton just to go black water rafting in these caves. I'd have to say its been well worth it.
Just a few notes in people and things from today:
Margot Duane- photographer from San Francisco, met at the Hamilton hostel, she asked if she could take my photo, as further evidence to support her theory that all women from Salt Lake City are strikingly beautiful. Why thanks. We then discussed the mormon religion. So many misconceptions! And she invited me to join her at her family cottage on the Coromandel Penninsula when I get there next week.
Nicole- blackwater tubing guide, also LDS. Fun to meet other Mormons out here in the world of the kiwis.
Tubing- so much fun. Stinky wetsuits. Jumping backwards off waterfalls into dark caves. Floating down a cave in the dark, with only the light of the glow worms on the ceiling to guide us. All of it - amazing.
Juno Hall Backpackers- lovely little cabin bunkhouse, set up on a hillside, with deer, horses, and a pet pig. Hammocks, trampoline, and beautiful views. Love
Lazy- just spent the rest of my afternoon/evening reading and watching movies with the other hostel guests. Perfect day.

March 15 - 9:45 pm

No more private room, but tonight I'm just sharing with Lois, a Chinese girl. And I still have the big bed.
Today was good, stressful at times, but everything worked out. I woke up around 8 and called the temple to get an appointment to come do baptisms for the dead. They said it would be best if I could get there by 10. So that meant I had to hurry.. I got dresses, ate breakfast, and started walking toward the bus station. It seemed to be taking a lot longer than it did the day before! My bus was leaving at 9:22, and I left the hostel at 8:43, but still, I was late to the bus stop. And miraculously, my bus was still there. So I caught it just in time. Out to Templeview we went. From where I got off I had to hurry to be on time for my appointment. Again, just in time, I arrived at 10. There was one other boy and girl doing baptisms with me - brother and sister. Very nice kiwis, the girl was so jealous that I lived in salt lake. She said it was on her bucket list to come to salt lake, and her dream to go to the salt lake temple. I told her that New Zealand was my dream! Funny how Mormons from other parts of the world dream of coming to salt lake. Like they have to make the pilgrimage. The temple was really pretty and quite small. It was me of the first temples in the world! Number 11 I think?
I caught the bus back to town around 1 pm. I had lunch at a little place called The River Kitchen. Looked at an art gallery. Headed back to he hostel, walking along the river. Quick check in before I headed to the Hamilton Gardens. Vast gardens with some pretty cool features. An area with different international gardens - Japanese, Chinese, Italian, English, Indian, American.. Really beautiful! They had Maori gardens, herb and backyard gardens, rose gardens.. Pretty much anything you could think of. Definitely worth seeing if you're in Hamilton.
Spent the evening chatting with my roommate, and other hostel guests (Germans) about politics and religion. So enlightening being somewhere out of Utah, and out of the country! I'm amazed how much other nationalities know about the US, and our politics, and our culture. Makes me feel pretty ignorant. I guess I just need to travel more! I've been thinking about a few places I want to go now: India, Japan, Thailand, Argentina, Central America, Greece, Scandinavia, Spain, Africa. That's good for now.

March 14 - 10:15 pm

Well this is a pleasant surprise! I'm lying in my bed, in a room all to myself! Oh, and I have a full-sized bed. I should sleep well tonight! Apparently Hamilton isn't much of anything for tourists. There are a few others at my hostel tonight, but not many. It's a few minutes out of town too. I got in around 3:00, and the hostel owner picked me up from the bus station. It's not too far to walk to town, but it would have been tough with my backpack and food. So after settling in, I walked to the city centre. Not a whole lot going on. There's a nice river that runs right through town, so that's probably Hamilton's best feature. Or Dunkin' Donuts. Yes, they have a Dunkin' Donuts! When I saw it I just had to go in. And then I couldn't decide which flavor to get so I bought two. They were scrumdidiliumptious.
Then I found the nearest grocery store to get a few things, and walked back along the river towards "home".
Dinner tonight may ave been my best creation yet. And really quite simple! Spaghetti tossed with olive oil, cheese, salt, pepper, and a few spices from the "free" shelf. Toasted bread on the side. Bellisimo.
There isn't really a good common area lounge here, so I spent my evening in my own room. Enjoying my privacy. Sure feels good.