Aio Wira Highlights

I got back into the city yesterday after six fantastic days at the Aio Wira Centre in Swanson. I really wish I discovered that place earlier in my time in NZ... It was so easy to get to, and it was a place I could definitely spend a few lifetimes.

Most days my tasks were few and my free time was lengthy. On Friday, the same day I got there, a yoga retreat arrived, so for the weekend, my jobs were usually meal prep-related (chopping veggies, the endless sinkful of dishes...). But after that, I pretty much woke up around 9, ate breakfast with unlimited filter coffee at my disposal, then did something like vacuum the rooms, iron some sheets, or wash Di's car (that was actually really fun), and then read, swim in the river, lay in the sun, take naps, drink tea, or sit in half-lotus for the next four to six hours, then helped with dinner, then went in the sauna, then went to bed around 10 pm.

On Saturday night, Di (the woman who runs the centre) took me to a neighbor's house for a New Zealand Elections party (NZ was having an election too?!?! Just kidding; I knew that.), which was really fun for me! Though the election didn't go as well as, say, America's-- National took over Parliament with a conservative ACT and United Future party coaltion, and Labour Prime Minister of nine years (and party leader for 12) Helen Clark was not only replaced as PM by the uncharismatic, boring and idiotic (not to mention conservative) John Key but she also stepped down as party leader-- it was really interesting and fun for me to watch. The neighbors and co. were awesome: they reminded me of a lot of the crunchy families I babysat/sit for, and someone brought fireworks leftover from Guy Fawkes celebrations. I also drank some champagne (even though we weren't really celebrating), and watched as the Green voters surrounding me in the living room got incresingly more drunk and started throwing things at TVOne. It was really fun.

On Sunday, the yoga retreat people left after brunch and Mark, the 23-year old WWOOFer from Indiana who's staying at Aio Wira for his first two months in NZ (which is his first stop on an as-yet-unplanned trip around the world over the next year and a half), and Masha, the 24-year old Ark in the Park intern from Germany who's living at the centre for five months as she researches the area's robin population, and I went to the beach. We went to Bethells Beach (see bus trip entry), which is lovely and choppy and has black sand. It was windy as when we were there, and hot as blazes (not to mention all this god damned UV), and my camera is a little crusty with sand right now, but we had an awesome time. Mark and Masha are fantastic and really helped make my week at Aio Wira less boring!

Other highlights include Sunday's arrival of Jo, Di's cousin, who works as a live-in caretaker of an Auckland Parkinson's sufferer for half the week, and lives at Aio Wira the other half. She is crazy and wonderful.

On Monday, two women on personal retreat arrived, and they were awesome, too. I spent subsequent nights in the sauna with Jo and the two retreaters, which was enlightening and detoxifying! Huzzah!

Mark gave me his well-loved copy of Catch-22, so I've started that. It, too, is enlightening. I love it so far, but I'm confused. I think that's how most people feel about Catch-22.

The came back to Auckland yesterday morning, and then went souvenier shopping downtown with Michelle. I'm so stoked to give souveniers, Jesus Christ.

Then I went to my fiiiinal yoga class at the Loft; it was incredible and I love that place and those people the most in Auckland, seriously. I was mad focused during my practice, even though my teacher Gopesvari (I finally learned how to spell her name!) mixed up the series a little, and I'm bad at shoulder stands. Then dinner was above par, which is quite a statement for a kitchen that constantly outdoes itself, and then Ning and I stayed to make music with some Hare Krishnas, which included chanting the Hare Krishna, which I catch myself reciting in my head sometimes, accompanied by a harmonium, a mirdangam, and finger cymbals. I stayed after talking to the mirdangamist (?), a Dutch girl who moved to Wellington after not finishing her physics degree, and just moved to Auckland last week. She was cool.

I'm going to Devonport today to see the beaches, the views of Auckland from up Mt Victoria and Mount Head, and to buy yarn. I was going to get a much earlier start, but my iTunes has been so good for the last dozen songs, so I'm rooted to my seat. It's on random right now and it's choosing a fantastic mix of angsty, kind of lame music that I loved in high school and haven't listened to since then: Jimmy Eat World, Oasis, Brand New (two different songs!), Panic! at the Disco, Prolonging the Magic-era Cake, Daft Punk... fun.

Okay, well, see you in five days, America; holy shit.