Rest Day

Had I remembered to set my Garmin watch, I would have called this day 6 and maybe clocked 5 km of walking. But since I didn't, let's call it a rest day.

The weather did not disappoint this morning. I struggled with choosing between hotel coffee and venturing outside. 

This gem of a cafe takes advantage of their leaking roof to water the indoor lemon tree.

I run into a couple of cyclists at the bike shop where I purchase a replacement for my lost mirror. They're from Quebec and riding from the top to the bottom and back. We're currently heading in the same direction, so I'll probably see them tomorrow. 

The hotel is storing my bicycle in a shipping container. It is unclear if they have a shipping container for other purposes or it is there just for bicycles. I need to fix an assembly error which has been rendering my top two gears unusable. This has not been an issue on the gravel, but with sealed roads making up the next several days, I might need the missing gears. They allow me to make some repairs in the container as the rain has not relented. I am afraid the wind will blow the door shut and I don't know if shipping containers can be opened from the inside.

All my clothes save my waterproof pants and jacket fit inside this bag. 

Actually, the jacket bungees to the top of the bag, but I'd look pretty strange in the laundromat wearing only rain pants and no jacket.

Kiwis do not use PayPal or Venmo. Their banks have been providing a similar service for decades.When my American credit card is rejected, people tell me to transfer them money, but I am unable. Except I have a Westpac account that I opened prior to moving to New Zealand. I have no way to access it as I had mostly forgotten about it. I walk into the Greymouth branch, get online banking reactivated, and leave with a new EFTPOS card. Look that up.

The rain has subsided, so I decide to walk to the beach. I wander through this park and a see a sign for a bush walk. The rain is picking up by now and I'm not wearing my water proof pants, so I pass. I discover that my REI comvertible cargo pants are actually pretty water resistant.

I happen on what looks like a brand new hospital. I consider seeking out the pharmacy to talk shop, but decide that even in my disheveled and soggy state I am likely to be offered a job. Greymouth is less than liveable for me.

I reach the beach. I am hit with a blast of sideways rain and my REI convertible cargo pants decide they have repelled enough water today. I am questioning my life decisions that brought me to this place. I am 3 km from the hotel.

Back in town, the cold and/or rain has caused my camera to fog up. The front facing camera is still working so I shoot a selfie with a greenstone sculpture.

I shoot a selfie with the clock tower.

I shoot a selfie with the shipping container and Greymouth's finest hotel.

I am hopeful the rear facing camera will dry out by tomorrow or you will be seeing even more photos of me.