Back in Hastings

Oceania → Australasia → New Zealand → Hawke’s Bay → Hastings 

my dear reader, i escaped the witch. woke up halfpast 7 in the morning, and briefly gulped some milk, brushed my teeth, and donned jeans and jacket not only because it’s cooler in the morning but also because i don’t have more space in my bag for bulky clothings. i walked all the way out from her farm without seeing her as i guess it wouldn’t have mattered. i know she has some alarm in the main gate, so when i was a few yards away, i was she went down to the barn (where my room was), and checked on it. she was probably making sure i did not do any damage in revenge, but to be perfectly honest, i was thinking of cutting wires in her motortrailer, hehe..or leave some ketchups stains on her sheets…but of course, i’m so kind (believe it) i did not do anything except from leaving my bed undone. hehe.

on the road, i try to hitchhike and after about 6 cars passed me by, a man on a pickup stopped, backtracked a bit and let me in. thank god! he was going on the opposite way as i’m heading (hastings), so i just asked him anywhere is good like a bus stop or something, rather than be stranded in this farming section of waipawa. later, i found myself in the bus stop, and after waiting for a while, headed to get something to drink first as i was so tired of walking (before i got the ride) as my bags are really heavy. back at the bus stop, an old lady came, “we’re not both on the run are we?” she said, “no, i’m not, are you?” i answered. she’s actually with her daughter as she’s going to work (just had to get some money on the atm at the other side of the road). i asked her if there’s any bus going to hastings in that bus stop, and she said she’s not sure at that bus stop is only for buses going on the opposite way (going south, hasting is towards north). also, i’m not certain if i can get on the bus as i don’t have any booked ticket. on my previous bus trips, i buy ticket the day before i leave.

a few more minutes passed by, and still no bus. i actually thought of walking my way if i can’t get any bus, but realize that waipawa and hastings is separated by some 42 kms, and that distance is most definitely not convenient with heavy load! suddently, there was this another lady who walked to her car and after seeing us in the bus stop, asked if anyone probably needed a ride where she’s heading to. amazingly, she’s going to hastings, exactly the town where i needed to be! so that was really a saving grace! she’s still outside her car, and about to get in, so i walked on the right side of the car because that’s the passenger side of cars i’m used to (it’s left-hand drive in the philippines), she said “oh, you want to drive?”. “oops, sorry, no.”, i replied. the angel’s name is nicola, and they moved to waipawa from hastings about 4 years now. inside at the back of the car, are her two very cute kids, a 7 and 4. they are very well-behaved for the entire trip. they are just visiting some friends in hastings, and go to some beach. when we were at a gas station, i went out with her, and operated the gas nozzle to fill her tank (self-service here just like in st paul-minneapolis), and offered a $20 note share for the petrol, to which she politely declined and said, “no, that’s what were her for.” and so, the 2 hitches today were the first hitchhikes i’ve ever done!

back in central hastings, i tried to find any hostels, and after walking around, all has no vacancy. i went to the information center, and asked if i can leave my bags first so i can go on searching without a heavy back, and she told me she could make some calls to hostels and find if there’s any vacancy. a few minutes later, she found one, it’s A1 Backpacker Hostel and that’s where i am right now. the owner, cindy picked me up from the town center, and i told her my not so good experience in waipawa. she was so sorry for it, and told me that we probably have to do something because that bitch could do it to others (no, she didn’t call her bitch). i paid for a week stay here because it’s cheaper and cindy makes some call to see if she can find me any farm work around. it won’t be apple picking season until february, so i’m not sure what work she can find me.

then i went back to the center (riding with cindy again as she has some errands) to check if my IRD mail has arrived. i used the address of another hostel (Rotten Apple) when i was in hastings last december, so went there and it’s still not there. ‘will probably call IRD, and just ask for the IRD number. then, went to grocery for some food to cook, rice, and oranges…and met cindy again for a ride back to the hostel. then cooked something to eat as i haven’t had any solid food for today.

’til next time!