The itinerary for today included a trip to the Coromandel peninsula and a stop by New Zealand’s Hot Water Beach. Sitting in a Canadian airport, I’ve had plenty of time to look at pictures and imagine myself exploring these little gems.

Even if you’ve never heard of the Coromandel Peninsula, you might recognize it from that one Narnia movie (I think it’s Prince Caspian).

If you ever get the chance, you should check out Hot Water Beach. Arrive a little before high-tide, stake out your area, and remember that bathing suit tops are optional (not exactly the view I usually look for in a beach… In fact, I’ve never really heard of a half-nude beach before. Whatever). When the tide goes out, dig yourself a little hole and, because of underground reservoirs of superheated water, you’ll have created your own personal hot spring!

My virtual mind travels have been wonderful, but otherwise I’ve spent most of my time….

• finishing one book (Swamplandia! – I’m still processing my feelings) and preparing to start another (The Satanic Verses). I’ll finish all my hard copies and then move on to the eReader….
• mindlessly watching 3:10 to Yuma, a Western that features Christian Bale and Russell ‘mmm mmm good’ Crowe (my reactions: Batman’s son would make an attractive woman, Oh look there’s Luke Wilson for about a minute, Dear Alan Tudyk I was more saddened by your death in Firefly and I can’t buy your doctor persona because I can’t get past you as either a spaceship pilot or hot-tempered medieval squire, Russ I might have to stop by Australia just to absorb voices that sound somewhat like yours)
• attempting to entrench myself in today’s social media. Yeah, I got a twitter. No, I have no idea how to tweet. It’s like some strange foreign language. Java script makes more sense.
• introducing Karli to Pitch Perfect (I highly recommend! Mean Girls and “Insert your favorite musical here” had a love child. Elizabeth Banks is hilarious)
• dealing with various issues – e.g. lower body numbness, Karli brought back 3 smoothies for 4 of us THAT IS A PROBLEM, and some friends sent us a text asking if we would like to join them at the lovely Hot Water Beach (I went a little apoplectic there for a hot second)
• considering doing something outrageous and criminal as a way to pass the time, then realizing that I’m not well versed enough in Canadian law to really know how to break it