“Sure” I replied with an ah-ha thought in my head. I snapped twice.
“Can you help me with me mine” I asked. She snapped 3 or 4 with few different background! This is what the Malay said, you give calves but they want thighs. What? Don’t judge me. I don’t come here often. I bet she regretted asking me. Too bad sister.
At about before 1:30pm I went back to the bus. The driver did his usual walk-down-the-aisle-count-the-head. I heard he said two was missing- the two chinese girls sat across me. He went down and searched for the girls.
In my heart, please leave them, please. Teach them a lesson. A hard one so that they know to be on schedule since I learned my lesson few times already. Minutes later I saw him walked alone and started the engine.
YESSSSSS, they miss the bus. It fed the devil in me to be happy for some people’ misfortunes. I could almost the devil in me said, take that bitches. I looked at their seat. Empty. Only jackets sat there. If the weather packing they definitely will be freezing.
For about 8 minutes driving, we stopped at Tapotupotu Bay. I took off my shoes, changed to my shorts and my lunch at the shore while playing the the fine sand in between my toes. The seagulls on my left and behind me were really annoying. The squawk like a shrieking baby in very confine toilet and you in it. Urghh, I felt like slapping them to shut up and give me some much needed peace and quiet.
They actually want my lunch. Go get yourself. Tonnes of fish in the water you lazy bum.
After lunch I wondered off along the beach and guess what I saw. Not seagulls. Not a dugong but the two chinese girls! How on earth did they got there? They don’t show any worry or sad or terrified in their face. They were happy cam-whoring by the beach. When I missed my flight in Sydney I was a mess. And a bitch too.
Then on the bus, on the way to Te Paki Giant Sand Dune, I couldn’t help myself but to ask the girls, “How did you guys got here.”
“Another driver brought us here. Just the two of us”, one of the girls said.
“That’s nice of him”, Translate, you lucky bitch.
Been on the road since morning and just had lunch, I fallen asleep until I heard our bus driver cum tour guide on the speaker above announcing we almost reach the sand dunes and his narration of the local history.
There’s no road on the dunes. the only access is to drive on the Te Paki stream. Shallow river. No rocks just fine sand. Mind you, the stream is also a quick sand. The driver said if he stops on that stream the bus will stuck there. “But don’t worry. I bring 36 shovels with me.” He joked. Us were the shovels!
As I stepped out from the bus, I looked around. On my left were hills with vegetation. to my right were bare sand mountain that look like middle eastern dessert. Not that I’ve been there. Just from film and tv. I’m amazed at how how god created these two different landscape only separated by a not so wide stream. God really has his funny way to make things work.
There were many people climbing up the dunes. Few buses already there. I took my time, s
napping photo here and there and laughing at how people slide down the dunes with boogie board.
From afar, it looks like it was easy to get up to the top but when I set my foot and tried to climb up, god it was bloody hard. My feet buried above the ankle. Our feet were so not meant for the sand. But I didn’t wish to have camel toes (literal and technical!) though.
I finally reach the top after several stops. My heart pounded like a V6 engine and I breathed heavily to pump air into my lungs. It feels like I wasn’t in my prime years anymore but I’m still young. I really need to work on my stamina and do more cardio. The line looked long so I cam-whoring up there. Tonnes of self snap of low angle big nose shots!
Then I realised the people that climbed before me were having their second shots. The driver instructed us to knee on the sand and lay on the board. Hands holding the front of the board and used the foot as a break.
Nervously, I did as per instructed. Oh-my-god, I’m so going to scratch my legs with this sand, I thought. It started slow but soon as it gained momentum it got faster. The drop really feel like in a roller coaster ride. The adrenaline rushed in my tummy. The first I checked at the bottom of the dune- my legs. No scratch. I was just paranoid. The sand was so fine to cause any skin abrasion. My findings made me excited to have a second attempt. Climbed up quickly and push myself down the dunes harder and screamed. Fun. I wanted to have a third one but then I saw some people already heading to the bus. I hate to say this, but i followed the crowd. Clearly I didn’t want to be left behind like the Chinese girls.
Back on the bus I was thinking I wish I could do this all day. Hermm..maybe half day. It was so fun and it was like a sport that everyone can do. The driver continue driving on Te Paki stream until it met Tasman Sea. From there we headed south via 90 miles beach. The story about 90 miles beach, that wasn’t its actual length. Those days, in the 1800s, the traders travelled by ox and bullocks. One day journey was equivalent to 30 miles and it took them three days to cross the beach. Voila, they named it 90 Miles Beach. In actual it was only 64 miles long.
The weather seemed to change to partly cloudy and the sun played peek-a-boo behind them. It changed my mood as well, knowing that we’re heading back to Paihia. Journey almost over. We did a stop on the beach to collect shell fish. I didn’t but the driver cum tourist guide then turned fisherman did caught a few. This man can really wear so many hats.
By the time I reached Paihia, I was so exhausted and a little dizzy. Since middle of this year, my body couldn’t cope with long distance journey anymore. Sign of aging, maybe. Anyway I popped my fourth paracetamol of the day and fast asleep.a
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