As I was making my way back to Auckland (for my flight) I had to stay in Picton one more time (I seriously loved the Sequoia Lodge so that’s where I of course went to stay). As I’m leaving to catch the Ferryboat to Wellington the hostel owner asks if I wouldn’t mind possibly bringing a girls jacket with me to Wellington??. Weird request( then again weird stuff happens to me all the time) but I thought to myself if I had left a jacket on a completely different island from where I was, I would want someone to take it over for me too. I get the coat owners information (and thankfully leave my name and where I was staying) and head off.
I make my way to the wonderful city of Wellington just in time to celebrate the fourth of July at the American themed bar Dakota (you get cowboy hats right when you walk in, they serve Budweiser, and there is a bull you can ride.. Merica?). I was set on getting a drink maybe two and headed back to my hostel.
As im standing there drinking my beer a group of older men in their late forties start chatting with me( because no one else apparently in New Zealand finds me interesting unless they are over the ripe age of 41+). But these guys were awesome! I felt like I was at a bar with my friend’s dads or something, such cool dudes! They bought me drinks, warded off creepers, and even gave me a list of things to see and do next time I make me way back to New Zealand!
They even convinced me to ride said bull in order to prove my loyalty to America. Of course I can’t back down from a challenge and rode the bull for a solid 28 seconds (the record that night was about 36.. so yeah I felt pretty cool).
I know most of you spent your Independence Day in cute red, white, and blue outfits..... I spent mine in an American themed bar with four dudes twice my age( I know you are all jealous)
The next day I attempted to get a hold of both the girl whose jacket I was given, and even the Sequoia Lodge to figure out if I was given the right contact information. No response from both parties so I just chalked it up to dealing with it come Sunday.
Sunday came and I was still not able to get in touch with either of them. This is when I started freaking out a little bit and feeling bad about taking this woman’s coat and now having no way to get in touch with her.
Thankfully I gave the hostel owners the name of my hotel in Wellington. The girl calls my hotel and we figure out how to meet up and give her back her jacket. She meets me and insists on giving my $50 for taking it back for her.
I mean yeah who doesn’t want $50 but I did feel guilty about taking it (since I felt like I could see myself in a similar situation with losing things all the time). She insisted and said she was about to pay 100$ just to go back there and get it!
Needless to say this nice lady treated me to what I call now a days a gourmet meal ( aka a sandwich I bought and did not have to make for myself).
Here comes one of my weirdo Buddha/ Spiritual sayings but when you give back to the universe it always gives back to you people!
