Taupo (Zero Day)

I had a great night’s sleep and it was one of those mornings when I woke from a deep sleep and didn’t know where I was for a few moments.

Last night I ended up booking my room for another night, and taking a zero day, because I wanted to make sure I didn’t have an issue with my knee. As I had mentioned, it might just be due to the steep downhills that irritated it and it may not be a real issue, but I want to caution on the safe side. I am so near the end of my time trekking here that I do not want to risk causing any possible further problems with my knee just to get a few more days of trekking.

I lounged most of the morning and then walked the mile to the city center to have lunch and do some food shopping. I am glad that I got a chance to see that part of town as it seems part of the tourist attraction in Taupo. It was bustling with people because all the shops and restaurants, and other tourist attractions are near the city center.

I am not a big fan of MacDonald’s, but the one here won an award for being one of the best, or unusual, ones in the world because it has an old DC3 airplane as part of the business. It’s attached to the kids playground and has a stairway going up to it.

I had lunch at a Chinese restaurant and then a few minutes later had lunch at a sushi restaurant. Yes, two lunches! My body must be in that survival mode where it’s taking in everything it can for storage because the calories I must be burning? I had a big plate of noddles, vegetables, and chicken, and was full from that meal. I then walked past the sushi place a few doors down, saw the sushi, and was hunger again. I went in and had about seven big pieces of sushi. Then when I went food shopping I wanted to buy everything in the store. As I said, must be that survival mode.

I may have walked over two miles today and my knee didn’t bother me. It still looks a little swollen and that’s why I don’t want to push it.

One of the problems I am facing is that this is Easter weekend, one of the big holidays here, especially in Taupo, so everything is fully booked! I was able to stay here another night, but after that it is booked until Monday. Out of the multitude of motels, hotels, and motor camps, there were only 2-3 that had any openings, and they were three to four times the normal price. Even the motor camp that might have a tent site wants $60 ($41 US), and that could fill up.

Fortunately, I happened to find room at a motel one block away and booked it for tomorrow, but after that it is booked luntil Monday.

That puts me in a dilemma because if my knee still doesn’t feel right by Friday, I will not have a place to stay. If I decide to trek, the next town, Tokoroa, is 42 miles away. There is only one cafe/bar/dairy/accommodations, at a little place called the Bull Ring, which is 24 miles away. I called the Bull Ring and the owner said he’d make sure I got a room for Friday and Saturday after he heard I was trekking. That leaves me with another dilemma. Because it would be a long distance day, one of my longest, what would I do if my knee bothered me?

The other concern is the traffic. Traffic has been very heavy the last few days as I am getting to more populated areas, and Friday will be one of the most heavily traveled days of the year, and much of it will be going to Taupo! It’s all a lot to consider, and pushing just to get more days of trekking under these unfavorable conditions may not be a wise decision?

Sadly, my flight back home is next week, Wednesday, April 24th, and my last day trekking will more than likely be next Monday, the 22nd. I thought I had given myself plenty of time to reach Cape Reinga based on previous treks, but I had no idea the alternate routes I would be taking, which added distance and time. The weather, and absolutely and most of all, the roads and traffic, made the biggest change to the number of days trekking.

Tonight I settled in early and it felt great. I could get spoiled because I did not feel like walking back to the City Center to eat dinner, so I ordered Indian again. Forty minutes later there it was, piping hot, at my motel room front door. I have menus of a few other types of ethnic restaurants too, so I could order something different for a week.

I will get a good night’s sleep and think about it in the morning. Maybe my meditation, prayer, and even holding my New Zealand jade stone, will grant me the wisdom to make the right decision? Tomorrow I will enjoy the down time, relax, and read my book or watch a movie. One day at a time.

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone, and I am probably pretty tired.