In My Wildest Dreams

Tramping in Piha

Went to Piha again today, but this time to do some "tramping" (hiking). Was on my way to meet my friend, Kristin, who I've met at Tuesday meditations at the Shambhala Center, when my car begin to click. Hmm... I thought. Will have to ask Aidan about this. Then, it stopped in the middle of the highway. Completely dead. Poor little Woofie. Meanwhile, I thought about freaking out. Several cars nearly rammed in to me. I thought I was going to be seriously injured. Then, I thought that freaking out wouldn't do me much good in this situation. So... I said a quick little prayer to the Universe (went something like, "Oh, please don't let me die here!") and tried to start the car once again. It started. I made it to the next exit where, at the end of the ramp, it died again. A nice man rope-towed me to the nearby Shell station.

A very friendly old police officer who had also followed me to the petrol station got out to take a look under the hood. Said he thought the thermostat may have broken and that I'd burned the car out. "DO NOT START IT AGAIN, Love," he warned. The engine was smoking. I told him I'd have my flatmate, a mechanic, look at it. Then we went on his merry way. No questions about registration, license, American drivers, etc. How nice! Anyway, had to get my car towed back to the house after I called Aidan who said he will look at it tomorrow (he had to work today). So, I called my friend Kristin and had her come pick me up at the petrol station. Decided I may as well go hiking, anyway, since there was nothing I could do about the car today. She picked me up and I told her the story. "Well, I guess that's what happens, " she says. "Yeah, that's what happens," I said. Buddhism has its benefits. And we drove on up to go hiking.

Hiking was amazing. We hiked all up and down the ridges of Piha, following the river's edge. Was some serious scrambling and bouldering. We also cut across to the ocean at one point, hiking through bog and marsh, over the black sand dunes (well, dune) to the sea, where I made an "S" with the beautiful shells. Did not take them with me. They belong to the ocean, which, here, according the Maori, is ruled by the great sea god Tangaroa. I did take a photo. (Take only photos; leave only footprints.) Was a nice, rigorous hike and, for most of the day, we were the only ones out there.

Got home this afternoon and Aidan had looked at the car. He thinks that it will end up costing around $500 (would probably be much more than that if I didn't have a mechanic for a flatmate). He will have to replace the gaskets or something like that. He's just going to rip the thermostat out so I won't have problems again. Man, cars. They're so much trouble, aren't they? Bummer. So, it won't be fixed before Wednesday which means bussing it to school these next few days.

Love,
Sara

posted by Sara @ 8:59 PM