Another new flatmate..

Guess where I am, yes Macca's in Basin Reserve, having a hot chocolate from a lovely islander barista. It is by far the best Macca's hot choc I have had so I am taking it as an augury that my new housemate from the Solomon Islands may be a goer, but you never know. Muriel's her name, a friend of a friend of Lesley, so who knows what will happen, you must never assume anything till the writing's on the cheque, I have learned that one by now. She seemed nice but is getting back to me in three days by text. I feel it may be a negative however, so I will go ahead with my Trademe NZ ad in tomorrow's listing, just to be sure.

In the meantime, back to square one. Life seems to be like that these days, two steps forward, three steps back, or perhaps I am being too hard on myself. After resigning from my Te Reo course I feel a little strange, as I did say to myself that I would hang in there, no matter what. But really, I am learning just SO little for the time I put in, however my experience has been profitable enough in attending the Marae and learning some Maori customs which are all important to understanding their rich culture, of which I am not at all a part, by the way. 

That said, I have no regrets in having attempted to learn their lovely sonorous language, full of love and longing, but just a little loaded on the Christian side with all their 'karakia' - prayers. That was really the straw which broke the camel's back as I certainly don't need to learn more Christan prayers. At least in Tiwhanwhana it is interlaced with a lot of humour and practical living customs, and of course, the poi which I love to learn, however slowly. It is a bit like Te Reo, so alien that I will take a very long time to learn it.

At McCafe...

Great hot chocolate...

The young Maori in All Blacks T shirt, very patriotic for their team!

I have started thinking where I  will be in three years time, when I start my seventh twelve year cycle in 2017. I really feel it won't be in NZ as my time will be up, but where, I am still not sure. I intend to re-visit Vancouver before I make any firm decisions, as that city has a distinct pull for me, in so many ways, but I may, by that time, be ready for a final solution, somewhere in OZ, and it is Newcastle which is beckoning. I hope to have a quick visit there on my October Sydney trip, just to see how it's going. After all it is now twenty years since I quit that lovely city. I have always thought it a possibility for 'retirement'...great climate, close to Sydney, nice friends, and a small city. Now I just need to hear from the ECK as to where IT wants me to go. Will I ever stop travelling, I don't really know, but I would like my own little pad with a pussy cat, one day, like I had in Hobart, but at a new stage of my life in a very different place. What is right for me will happen, that I know for sure.