Hastings


It's happened again...i was supposed to leave for Wellington last Sunday but my travel plan is heading onto another direction now...I've gotten used to the constant change of plan at the very last minute by now...it all just happened so abrubtly that you dont have much to think about...

So last week before i were to purchase my ferry ticket down to South Island, John called up and i told him my itenerary...he was quiet for a moment and then with much urgency said: No, you can't leave hastings just yet...i was like: 'why the hell not?', then he told me that he'd just popped in to the post office and sent me a parcel, and i needa wait for another week in Hastings to receive it...as it turned out, it was actually my camera battery charger that ive left in Te Puke...so, if i want it back, im gonna hafta stay here for another week...

So while spending few more days here in Hastings, i hooked up with Claudia (Germany) again, she came all the way from Te Kaha to Hastings to get a job...so she invited me to work together in the packhouse...and i was thinking: 'hey, i could do that too, money is running low and it wont hurt to build up the bank account again...' to cut the story short, im working again....and with much persuasion from my friends here, im actually gonna postpone my plan down to South Island, everyone's telling me that it is miserably cold down there and it's not a good time to travel, the roads would be icy, and there will be much snow...

Hence ive decided that im actually gonna fly to Melbourne from Wellington instead of Christchurch, and then return to Christchurch from Cairns...that's the plan for now but since ive yet to buy my airticket, it is always subject to changes...

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Talking about changes of travel plan, i have a story to share...it is a tragic one and i can assure you that there is still sorrow in my heart...

Ive got to know this Korean guy, Jun while i was staying in KeriKeri for six weeks...he was one of my closent friends and we had had alot of fun together...He was supposed to head to Australia in June but he made a sudden change of plan and went on to his south east asian tour of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam with Kate and Jackie, two sisters from Wales who are also very dear to me...

and yesterday i've gotten news that Jun has passed away...they were tubing in Laos and he fell into the river and drowned...it is all so sudden...i still remember saying goodbye to him few weeks back and promised with much conviction that it wasnt the end, that we are gonna see each other again, he was equally as faithful and was making plans of where to bring me to visit should i go to Korea...it is all so unreal, we talked bout his plans to pursue a career in Silicon Valley, California, and all that travelling dreams....it is not to happen now....

i cant begin to imagine the devastation of his parents...they never even got to say goodbye...it made me think of the worthlessness of life and that we are all so vulnerable and fragile...we could just die anytime...it made me reconsider all that activities that i had planned to do, like extreme rafting and bungee jump...who knows something could go terribly wrong...life is just so unpredictable...


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Right now im gonna stay in Hastings for least two more weeks, im giving myself much time to rest now and to have all that time to do my personal things and to gather thoughts...like what to do in life and which country to travel next...im thinking Italy...

Im only paying $90 a week now and to have the whole room to myself, there are some really nice people here whom i can really get to know to...will tell you more about them next time...

till then, appreciate life and dont wait to do that thing that you've always wanted to do, JUST DO IT...afterall our days are numbered...you never know...