Drama of Identification

Hey everyone, so sorry that I just do not post lately. And don't worry, I'm fine, the tsunami only made small waves and nowhere near me. Beaches have closed for the day, stopped the ferries for 30 minutes in Auckland and Wellington, and apparently a nude photoshoot on a beach was postponed. But no one was hurt. Though apparently some people went down to the beach to look for waves, which maybe wasn't smart, but again, no injuries. Chanting for everyone's safety in Chile and Australia.

The latest ridiculousness has centered around my passport. I think I mentioned before that it got ruined a while back, like, you cannot see my face on it. Bug spray exploded in my backpack on a hike and ended its usefulness. Luckily I made a copy of it before the disaster, which enabled me to get into bars and work on the kiwi orchard, but it was necessary to get a new one for when I decide to leave the country.

I wanted to get this done in Wellington, and was told in the beginning of February at one of NZ's many I-sites (information centers) that the American Embassy is there, and so I'd be able to apply for it there. Sweet, I'm heading there anyway, I have friends that will let me stay in their flat. Cool, so I get to Welly over a weekend so I have to wait until Monday to get to the embassy. Monday I have to find the damn embassy (uphill and on a not-so accessible street) and it turns out it's a bloody holiday back in the states so they're closed. Oh, and by the way, we don't do passports anymore. You have to do that at the American Consulate in Auckland.

Wait, are you serious?
You DO realize, Wellington, that you are the CAPITAL of New Zealand. And you won't deal with passports?
Not anymore, Caitlin, we've decided that the Embassy will be for political issues and not so much for the general public. Auckland likes the fact that it's the biggest NZ city and figure since lots of people are there the passports will be better dealt with around more people...

Fuuuuuck.

So I have to make an appointment at the US Consulate and book a bus. The next available appointment was a WEEK later. So I have to wait a week before I can do anything about it. I get to spend time with my friends in Wellington (Simon and Amy from the UK, met them at Big Day Out, and their flatmate Laura, thank you so much!!!!) but in the back of my mind for the whole week I'm going "Damn, I'll have two 12-hour bus rides in 48 hours. This is going to suck. This whole situation sucks."
Long story short, I get to Auckland and apply for the new passport, no problems. It will take about 10 days for processing and they'll send it to my uncle in Nelson. I get to stay with my friend Helen again, and it's really good to see her. We talk over pizza, and I figure it's the last luxury I can afford, seeing as the passport cost $140. I get back on the bus the next morning and back to Wellington with the Brits.

I'm now back in the south island, in Blenheim, a town a few times bigger than Opotiki, yet just as small, looking for work on vineyards. I'm not as lucky as with the kiwi orchards, not to mention that even when I do find work I don't have a FREAKING PASSPORT because they had to take the damaged one. I did find a woman who said that I could just show my visa, so that's good, but she doesn't have all that much work at the moment, so I don't know how much money I can really make this week before my friend Virginia comes. It's all just so frustrating, it seems like nothing is going right on this leg of the trip. I wish that I could give you all a happier picture of what's going on, but I'm chanting and doing my best to stay positive, that it will all work out.

Still no word from the people hiring glacier tour guides. Sigh.

Hope to have happier news soon, like, I've hit the jackpot! And also want to update about my travels with my germans around the east cape and such... soon i hope! Love!!