​I hit the pillow at midnight and slept solid until 5:30. After a bathroom break, I grabbed my eye mask but had a hard time falling back asleep as it was 10:30 my time. (On the day before, but my body didn’t know that, so I suppose a 19-hour time difference across the international date line is really only a 5-hour change.)

At various points over the next few hours, I realized I’d managed to mostly get back to sleep, meaning it wasn’t deep but it was certainly welcome and better than being wide awake. This was despite construction work on a massive building immediately outside my bedroom window. Earplugs FTW.

I showered off the travel and took a 10-minute walk from my listing to Karangahape Road, or K Road, a shopping and business district. Through a Google Maps search, I found an adorable cafe named Revel. I wish I’d taken a photo of the cashier/server as he embodied the reputation of the New Zealand people for their friendliness. Huge smile, very welcoming, somehow knows about the Trailblazers.

I packed up at the listing and walked with my bags about 10 minutes to the SkyCity bus terminal to catch my first InterCity bus to Paihia in the Bay of Islands, about 4-1/2 hours north with stops.

I took my third 10-minute walk of the day to my next Airbnb listing (I booked my accommodations strategically) and the only hostel on the trip. My first hostel ever! Knowing that hostels often have bed bugs and what a nightmare they are to get rid of, I couldn’t help but worry, but this place is super clean and well-run.

After checking in, I went across the street to a burger-and-brews joint and enjoyed a Hawkes Bay Ginger Fusion and a fish-wich.

This is Daryl, Graham, and Ian:

Graham saw me taking photos and came over to ask if I wanted him to take one of me (I didn’t.. there will be plenty of photos of me in more picturesque locales) and also invited me to join their table since I “looked lonely”, which I prompted him to correct to being alone, since there is a difference 🙂

Daryl and Ian are brothers and they’ve known Graham for about 5 years and they’re motorcycling buddies. They live about 8 hours away and rode up here today. They celebrate birthdays with long rides; the birthday boy gets to pick the destination, and it has to be somewhere they’ve never been.

I was embarrassed to tell them I am only staying in Paihia for 1 night. I knew this would happen when I booked my schedule this way, but there’s just so much ground to cover here.