Life as a Hobbit

 I have seen the eels!  Tuna - ā tātou taonga (not sure if I'm parsing the Maori language Te Reo correctly, but I'll go with that for now) are freshwater finned eels that are native to New Zealand.   I was walking my bike along the river when I looked across the water and noticed a trio of people holding little pieces of something just a few inches above the water.  After watching them for only a few seconds I heard one of them gave a shrill, startled cry and saw them recoin from the a splash in the water.  An older Kiwi came up to the little group, probably giving them tips.  Eel tips.  I kept following the Otakaro-Avon river west, where it bends towards the botanical gardens (pictures of monkey puzzle trees and dahlias will be forthcoming).  I came to a boat dock that paralleled the water and noticed someone filming the water.  "Ah-hah, more eels!"  I thought.  Of course, that isn't a thing I get to think very often, so ...

I started making a bingo grid for the year in 2022, but I have to admit this is the most exciting one yet.  I didn't even know there was an Aurora Australis before I started doing my New Zealand research.  You can see it from the South Island (further south than where I'm living).  I will probably travel to see it from Dunedin, or from Rakiura (Stewart's Island) which is down off the southern tippy-tip, and has a bit of hiking and probably almost no light pollution.  Photo credit to Ian Griffin.  I only hope my eyeballs can catch something a quarter as stunning as Ian's camera. Hobbiton Botanical drawing Ref roller derby Aurora Australis Knit NZ wool hat Host a dinner Have a friend visit me in NZ Learn some Maori Feed an eel Get to New Zealand Climb on a glacier ID 10 Kiwi birds + 10 Kiwi plants Birthday! Dip in both S. Pacific Ocean + Tasman Sea Swim 100 K (62 miles) Blog weekly Befriend a Kiwi Take the train Solo hike North Island Monthly tarot Have a NZ pet f...

Lists, Lists, Preparation and More Lists  Carry-on:  Entertainment   Crossword puzzle/game book  Paperback  Journal  Phone charger  Headphone + backup headphones Laptop (download Good Omens)  Comfort   Scarf  Neck pillow  Lumbar roll  Eye mask  Hoodie + nightie  1 extra change of clothes (this included sandals and shorts, which were a delight to change into once I got to the Auckland airport on a day that hit 90F. Waterbottle (the agony of picking which one, though!)  Pharmacy   Prescription bottles  Aleve/Tylenol/ginger candy/pseudophedrine  Hygiene toothbrush/toothpaste/mouthwash  Alcohol wipes + bleach wipes  Face wipes deodorant  Olio   Important documents  Sunglasses  Spare glasses  Nurse accoutrement (stethoscope, pens, watch)  Phone/wallet/keys  Clothing   1 Robe  1 swimsuit + long-sleeved coverup (these will henceforth be known as “tog...

It is demented to expect my body to make decisions after being pretzel twisted on a plane for 20 hours straight + an additional 1.5 for good measure after that. I may as well just count that as the missing Thursday the 18th that I never experienced due to flirting with the international dateline So, when confronted with the toothpaste aisle I almost had a meltdown. Flavor options: grape bubblegum, mango sorbet, peach iced tea, vanilla, and Wonka chocolate (which cost a whopping 2 extra NZ dollars). I picked coconut whip. I'll let you know if I live to regret this decision. My only remaining goal is to stay awake until at least 9pm, and then I get to sleep stretched out, which sounds like the most magical position in the world. I've seen a couple neat birds, and I'm really here in New Zealand. Grand! The Dreaded Wonka Chocolate Toothpaste