I’m writing this when I’m meant to be napping.
I read an article a few days ago that said the brains of people who had afternoon naps are seven years younger and with 15 cubic cms more bulk than non nappers, which I’ve enjoyed telling Simon about as he doesn’t believe in naps. Since then, of course, I’ve both lost the original article and I’ve not been able to get to sleep in the afternoons any more so I’m feeling doubly down.
Last night we snuck off to the resort next door for dinner, to avoid the buffet and music night here at our accommodation. The host couple, who bought a year ago and were originally from Blenheim, were going around all the tables to introduce themselves and make sure everyone was having a good time. You might think it was a bit cheesy but it actually made several of the tables start having conversations with each other.
The chap dining alone at the table in front of us, between us and the beachside view, is at his penultimate destination before finishing his quest to see every country in the world (193 according to the UN). Simon correctly guessed that North Korea is his last country to see. It’s been closed off for the last couple of years, due to some mild infectious respiratory illness that’s definitely not COVID.
Coincidentally, he was by himself as his wife was at home in Toronto, Canada with long COVID. He’s been doing his globe trotting for 25 years, which was amazing as he only looked in his 30s at the most. Apparently there are a number of people doing the same thing, who form a loose community. This guy doesn’t write a blog, he says he did for the first month but he found it such a chore he gave up. The other people doing this sort of traveling are always looking at a ways of monetising it, and can’t believe he doesn’t. I wonder what his job is?
His least favourite countries were South Sudan, Chad, and some small African country I’ve never heard of and can’t remember the name of now. The region he was most surprised to enjoy was the Middle East. Iran apparently is a pleasure to visit.
He visited American Samoa before coming west and says it’s infinitely superior here. It’s charmless and the main town smells of tuna due to the canning factory which is the only business there.
After that we overheard a young posh English couple at the corner table saying that they were on their way to Morrinsville in New Zealand – the small country town in the Waikato that Simon grew up – and this surprised us both so much that we lost track of other conversations, and went back to our fale and to bed.
Simon was thwarted from his run this morning by heavy rain, so he kept harassing me until I got up. After breakfast, we went for a long snorkel out the front of our resort. My snorkel the day before had been hampered by the low tide, which left me barely able to avoid scraping the top of the coral. Going at high tide this morning was much pleasanter (sic)*. The local who served us breakfast this morning commented on the dive boat that was going out, saying that they visit a spot out beyond the reef where there are lots of tame turtles, and also another place where there is a wreck. This sounds fun, but I much prefer the simplicity of snorkelling to the hassle of diving – and plus they were out there for over three hours. That much time on a small boat would be torture for me.
After our snorkel we went for a drive to see a lava tube cave that people had been talking about as a worthwhile visit the night before. I’d delegated the job of finding the site to Simon, which turned out to be a mistake. Better to share this sort of task. Thirty minutes of driving, and then 15 minutes into walking an unmarked forest track, he admitted defeat. Still, it was a pleasant walk, and we can do the cave tomorrow.
Simon is doing his office work on his little laptop while I write this. When I finish, I’m going back to my book, an old copy of Master of Ballantrae, one of Robert Louis Stevenson’s (deservedly) lesser known books, which I bought at the RLS museum in Apia. I’m about half way through and not loving it so far.
*a reader informs me this should be ‘more pleasant’. Thanks, Kirsten.