Mary Poppins is alive

Well, missed already?

It has been raining continuously for the past few days since we left Lake Taupo. Nonstop, 24/7. Every time you thought it would stop and you could leave the van... it started again. It was terrible. From last Thursday until this Monday, 5 days of rain in a row. That's enough for now.

Anyway, today is Tuesday, the day was beautiful and I thought: Come on, sit down and write a blog again. Apparently, people missed it. So I want to offer something to my loyal readers once again.

Let's start with a review of the past few days.

Thursday, 16.02.17.

Departure from Lake Taupo. We actually wanted to stay there for a while, but there was only an outhouse without running water. So there was no proper way to wash ourselves. And it kept raining. In short: there was nothing holding us there. So we continued towards Napier/Hastings (Hawke's Bay), hoping to find work there. When we arrived in Napier, we were confused. People were dressed up everywhere (Mary Poppins style). Was it an event? Do people always dress like this here?

As we drove further into the city center, classic cars started appearing everywhere. Everywhere, really.

So are people really always like this here, or was it just an event? We still didn't know. The stores were also designed in this 90s style. Mary Poppins flags were hanging everywhere. Mysterious. Where were the three detectives when you needed them?

At some point, we came across a cross street that ran along the coast. Ah, the streets here were partially closed so that people could drive and park their classic cars there. This also ensured that no one got run over while taking photos. If this is always the case here, they could have come up with a better solution than just closing the streets. Conclusion: It was just an event. With that realization, we drove to a nearby campground. And it rained, and it rained, and it rained...

Friday, 17.02.17.

...and it rained, and it rained, and it rained...

Saturday, 18.02.17.

...and it rained, and it rained, and it rained...

Sunday, 19.02.17.

...and it started thundering, storming, and raining even more...

Monday, 20.02.17.

...and finally, it stopped. The sun even came out. So we quickly took advantage of the good weather and explored the city. The streets were clear again and people looked 'normal' again.

A beautiful city. Lots of small parks, fountains, areas for skateboarders, and a small waterfall. There's even a spa oasis here. And a mini golf course. We tried it out right away. Unfortunately, the lanes were very uneven, so Svenja barely beat me (I'm not a sore loser, it was all because of the lane...).

Since the weather was finally good again and we weren't just here for pleasure, we went out at noon and looked for jobs. At our fourth stop, Mr. Apple, we were sent into a hall where other applicants were already standing. After about 3 minutes, a grumpy woman came out of a back door. She walked straight up to Svenja and me. Then she told us to leave. I asked why. She just said again that we should leave. I then said that we were sent here from the office. She didn't care, she just wanted us to leave. I didn't feel like arguing with the witch and wasting my time, so I left. Maybe it's for the best, but more on that later.

Afterwards, Svenja and I were annoyed and still stunned by being sent away for no reason. Especially since she only came to us and then left again. Outrageous, well.

We then went back to the campground and went for a walk. Along the way, there was a bookstore. We both bought a book there so that we finally have something to do on rainy days. It also helps us improve our vocabulary.

Tuesday, 21.02.17.

After waking up, we got ready and went straight out. Once again, looking for jobs. We heard from an acquaintance that the company he works for is still looking for people. So that was our first stop. With success. We were warmly welcomed there, treated with respect, and given the opportunity to work there. That's how it should be, Mr. Apple. We have an introductory course there on Thursday and maybe something will come of it. But more on that later. After all, you shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch...