After talking to GG about getting rid of the mattress and wood before selling the van to him, I knew I'd have a fun night and/or morning ahead of me. I woke up early the next day, got some clothes on, and then I headed out to the street to Willy to begin disassembling the very sturdy wooden base and table that had been custom made for him. With my tiny screwdriver, I twisted and turned, both hands cramping and blistering, as the maker did quite a good job putting everything in place and securing it. I toiled for an hour and a half, pulling out 53 long, stubborn screws and taking apart some of the wood pieces before giving up and heading to the Salvation Army to drop off the mattress and make the sale. I finally got to GG's house, and he was somewhat satisfied, though he then had trouble turning the key in the ignition, though I could do it perfectly, even from the passenger's seat, so apparently he's not too good with cars. He gave me the cash, dropped me off down the road, and I was done! It was a great feeling, but I was also a little cautious for the next few days, carrying around $4,100 in cash until the bank opened on Monday. Of course I wanted to keep it close to me, feeling for it every few minutes. When the bank finally did open, the transfer was quick and easy (assuming it does go through), and I also found a nice little park right behind our hostel that I wish I had found a week or two earlier.
My time spent here in Aotearoa/New Zealand (The Land of the Long White Cloud) has been incredible and unforgettable. I've seen so many varied landscapes and amazing places, along with wildlife and a few interesting cities, most of them in the comfort and convenience of my campervan, which made this trip quite unique. I'm ready to move on, but I have to say that I think it would be hard to find a country that offers so much, especially in such a small package. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone considering an outdoor vacation, though it is just a bit far from the US. Tomorrow, I'm off to Sydney, and I have absolutely no plans as to what I'll do with my six weeks in Australia. It's such a huge country, so I'll have to pick and choose a few of the highlights for this trip...
(The City of Sails on my last day with Willy)
(A controversial billboard from a funny show about a fake psychic. There are a few other good ones around town, and I took this shot from the road, on the way to the Salvation Army.)
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(The City of Sails on my last day with Willy)
(A controversial billboard from a funny show about a fake psychic. There are a few other good ones around town, and I took this shot from the road, on the way to the Salvation Army.)
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