#6 A series of frustrations.

As usual I lined up a surf lesson for my first day at my next stop. Arriving at 3pm after a 4 hour drive I took one look at the sea and declined the lesson. Flat as a pancake. The same was forecast for the next two days. Not too much of a problem as I had a day of work to fit in, and there was a handy volcano to hike up nearby, and a beautiful black sand beach to walk along.

Frustration #2 - work email still wouldn't connect. While the IT experts worked on a longer cable I took my hiking poles, my shorts and my waterproof to the mountain.

Frustration #3 - I was making good progress up a pretty steep incline (its a volcano) when the wind picked up. The turned back to avoid the combination of wind and sharp grit exfoliating my legs and face. Maybe my sister would have continued, but I chose not to. Instead I took the scenic route back through an amazing forest with mosses and ferns growing on every possible surface - branches, trunks, rocks.

A short drive back via a launderette and an "op shop" (NZ's version of a charity shop) meant I arrived home with clean clothes and some souvenir T-shirts. IT had managed to stretch the cable just far enough for me to be able to catch up on emails, so I sat and worked with a view of the peak I hadn't climbed.

The next day the surf forecast gave me a glimmer of hope, so after dealing with more emails I drove 50km along the coast to Opunake beach where I knew there was board hire and life-guards. There was also surf, but choppy and cold (to locals), so only four of us in. Having hired a board a bit chunkier than I'm used to (I really should have checked before I let him put it in my car), I was struggling a bit in the bumpy waves. Falling off more times than standing up, but still enjoying it, and definitely having a workout. The last time I came off I hadn't even managed to stand up - I kind of got thrown off sideways. I can clearly remember thinking "I haven't covered my head with my arms" a split second before the flat of my board hit me. It was quite loud, and it hurt. I checked - yes, my head was bleeding, but I wasn't entirely sure where. I waded through the waves, holding my head with both hands, dragging my board still attached to my ankle. A very helpful young French woman helped me get to the life-guards. Heads bleed a lot, and water makes it look like there's more blood than there is. It was quite dramatic, and also frustrating because I'd only been in the water less than half an hour. Frustration #4.

I was very well attended to - they sat me down and found and checked the cut, sitting me outside to hose me down (saline hose). Joe, the young life guard asked my name and my age "old enough to know better" wasn't precise enough, and when I gave my age he helpfully said "the same age as my mum". And then I realised "oh no! I've got to tell mine about this."

Joe bandaged me, and told me I needed to get to A & E half an hour away. When they realised I was on my own, and in no fit state to drive a new plan was quickly put into place. The man in charge ("Speed") called over one of the other surfers to supervise me warming up in a very careful shower (she had been a nurse). By the time I had finished they had made some calls so I could be seen at the local clinic, and formulated a plan to drive me the 50km back along the coast. As I walked slowly (and dramatically) to my car with my head bandaged and blue zinc still protecting me from the sun my French rescuer stopped me to check I wasn't about to drive. (Although it might just have been an excuse to talk to someone with my obvious level of glamour and chic.)

I was taken to the clinic by Mairead where the bandage art was gently removed, and I was checked and offered sutures or glue. Not wanting to have to find somewhere to remove them over Christmas I declined the sutures. No getting my hair wet for a week. Feeling (and looking) better Mairead pointed out that I was probably in need of food, and promptly took me to a cafe and paid for my lunch.

One road trip later, with Mairead driving my car whilst we put the world to rights, including philosophical reflections on the nature of experience and reality, the education system, and family. Speed followed behind, until we arrived back at Alan and Helen's AirBnB.

Alan left his welding to come and check what had happened, his response of "oh shit" when I showed him my freshly glued head wasn't the encouragement it could have been. Only that morning Helen had shown me her glued chin from a recent fall. I really do wish I wasn't so competitive!

Supplied with paracetamol and checked in on a few times I drifted into sleep reflecting on the incredible kindness and generosity of strangers, and thinking that if it was going to happen at all now is the best time - I've got a trip to Wellington and then to the South Island planned, with few opportunities for surfing until after Christmas.

As I was drifting gently into sleep I was woken briefly by a couple of small earth tremors. They are part of life here.

What an eventful day. What an adventure.