Today I visited Wai-o-tapu The Thermal Wonderland. Great name, slightly disappointed there were no rollercoasters and/or heat themed spaces. With Wonderland being the slogan, I’d expect far more rides, a giant sun or maybe just a spinning teapot. It turned out to be just a couple of walking trails, and was actually very cold despite it’s controversial slogan. Horrendous.
Nonetheless after that initial sadness, it turned out to be a pretty cool place, I saw Lady Knox splurt all over herself, saw an STI pond and a big wooden lizard. I was impressed.
Getting there was a struggle. I had, like many times before, booked the tickets without quite realising my strategy on arriving there. The shuttle bus out to The Thermal Wonderland was at 8:15 from the centre of town, I live out of town. I live so far out of town it takes me an hour on a good day to walk to the bus stop, which then takes another 40 minutes in. These buses aren’t a regular occurrence either obviously, small town blues. So my plan was to wake at 5:20 be out of the house by 6:00 to catch the 7:25 bus. Thankfully waking up wasn’t too bad, I get up an hour later anyway on weekdays to start my job as an au pair, I just had to be super quiet to not wake anyone else, as questions in the morning don’t go well with me. Especially from two 8 year old mildly autistic kids.
Outside was dark and fucking cold. We’re almost in deep winter. It was frosty. And being where I am, there aren’t any pavements to walk along, a little bit of grass here and there and then just straight up gravel ditches. Nor were there street lights, the sun hadn’t yet made an appearance. I was trying to use my phones torch but I couldn’t keep my hands out of my pockets for too long, it was a little panic inducing. You hear cars way before you see them due to the windy roads, and they take the bends so quickly because apparently no one else walks here. I had gotten maybe 3/4 of the way to the bus stop without a hitch, yet as I twisted around to see if I did hear a car coming up behind me, my ankle went from underneath me and I plummeted straight into the gravel. Rolled my ankle, tore my jeans on me knees and the thermals underneath them and opened the palm of my hand. Fuck me.
I ran through my shock trying to breathe deeply and push the sharp pain out of my hand, because I had only 30 minutes left before the bus would leave and I was still a hill and half to go. I knew I should have left 20 minutes earlier, this wasn’t a good day, this wasn’t just going to take me an hour to walk. Besides the fact the sun has barely risen, it’s -1 and now I’ve now handicapped myself and can pretty much just about manage a wonky gallop, I didn’t have the correct bus fare. 50$ was going to be way too much for a bus driver to change up and I had planned on going to a shop in town to buy something small simply so I could get on the bus.
I ran on and off for a while trying to make time when a bus went straight past me and started to slow. I didn’t know whether to acknowledge it and hope for the best or carry on to the shop to be a responsible adult. I decided as I was running out of time anyway I may as well try and get on the bus. I apologised and said I didn’t have the right change and that I was heading into Ngongotaha to get smaller cash. Raising my hands apologetically he saw my damaged hand and just waved me on. Looking back now I must have been a sight, I had been running when he picked me up and it turns out I was cut up and bruised with quite a bit of blood dribbling up my fingers. I reckon my chilled red face and deep breathing must have also stirred weird images too. But hey hoo free ride man. I got into town 40 minutes earlier than expected cos it was an earlier bus. I bought myself 2nd breakfast cos I deserved it and the waitress gave me some plasters for my wound. Thermal Wonderland was great. Everything came up millhouse.
I did a lot of walking, and now as I sit on my bed I can feel every part that has been knocked about very well.
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