A car...
This seems a great presumption to me.

I've just negotiated the purchase of a 1985 Honda Accord with a pristine interior. The outside looks pretty good too except that it looks as if it was rearended pretty hard and then fixed afterwards. The company that I would be purchasing it from had just gotten it in, and had not yet cleaned it up.

I haven't owned a car in almost 4 years. It's a big responsibility- one that does not suit me well. I like driving, but owning not so much. If things go wrong with a car then you have to pay more money to fix them.

Juergen of course is pleased because if I have a car, then I can drive him to the thermal pools...grin.

Oy. Such a big responsibility. I don't know if I WANT to own a car. Computers no problem, even though they are much more expensive than the car. My Sam is worth as much as this car is. Then there is insurance, and this car is an automatic and has power steering- neither of which I approve of. Still, it IS a very nice little car. Never owned a Honda. Driven a few, and loved driving them. Oy. definitely unsure about this.

On a brighter front, I found a backpack this weekend. This is of great import because last time I looked for a year before finding a rucksack (not a proper traveling or tramping pack) in Canada. As I am kid sized, even the small women's size doesn't fit. God bless those Kiwis!! Not just one, but TWO packs fit me and one of them was on sale for half price. It's fully adjustable, carries 70 liters plus a detachable daypack. It has a cushion for lumbar support and the shoulder straps are fully adjustable not just by pulling them tighter, but you can make the whole strap move up and down as needed. Then there are inumerable straps to tighten and adjust so as to make it fit you perfectly. It's amazing. I highly recommend New Zealand as a place to buy a pack. It was only $219 New Zealand dollars ($110 US or Euros, or 73 British Sterling Pounds) I was in the market for a new one as my other one had ripped in several places and was a bit too small besides. This one when full I will have to be careful not to tip over backwards- trying it on with a couple of tents in it and walking around the store feeling its balance I had a vision of me falling over backwards with my hands and legs in the air unable to get up or flip over much like a June beetle that has just crash landed. The only comfort in this vision was that unlike a June beetle, I can unloose the straps that hold my shell to me. For this I am truly grateful.

I have already begun thinking about the things that I will leave behind when I depart New Zealand. Sadly when you have so few things, you wear them out a lot faster than you do when you have many things. One pair of boots will go- maybe both. One pair of jeans that just don't fit anymore. Possibly my clogs as well, probably some of my sandals. I have my eye on a rain coat which would happily make umbrellas unnecessary. Also, it has the distinction of not only being long, but lightweight and fern green instead of Kermit meets a nuclear accident green. Of course I'm completely bogged down with sweaters- I own three. Different weights of course- ranging from really warm although not terribly bulky to warm but lightweight very breathable but smells like a baby alpalca when even slightly damp to one that just makes me happy to wear. Sigh. Stuff does hold on you. The books are the worst. One almost cannot help but add books to ones collection. Perhaps Zorba will take those off of me. I came here with much, but what I most wanted was left to trail behind me in Spain for many months. (My sweet Gabriella- my cat).