While most of the other EcoQuest students ventured through the Coromandel in torrential downpour and lightening, Emily, Megan, Erin, and I decided to head back to EcoQuest campus. When we all left Opoutere Friday afternoon, most students were dropped off in Thames to pick up their rental cars. Others were dropped off on the side of the road, where they would hike the rest of the way into the mountains. But for me, I was dropped off at my warm and dry cabin at EcoQuest. I did have my doubts: "did I make the right choice? I don't want to miss out. I'm not here for very long." But as the night progressed, the weather got worse and worse. The winds were picking up and so was the rain. Emily, Megan, Erin, and I headed to Grannies, where we spent most of the night watching old movies and sipping tea.
Sleeping in is a beautiful thing. I almost forgot what it felt like.
When I woke up Saturday morning, all I could here was the rain spitting on the roof and walls and the wind howling through the cracks of the window. I looked outside, the rain was horizontal. So far, I was happy with my decision to come home. I met Erin in the kitchen and we cooked breakfast together. After, we headed to Grannies to work on some assignments that are due at the end of this week. Emily and Megan were already there working when Erin and I arrived. We worked together on a map project until lunch. After lunch, Megan and Erin told Emily and I that they were going to try and spend the night in a tent in the Hunua Range. So, Emily and I helped them pack up, and they were off. Then there was two. Emily and I were the only people on campus (there was a staff member but we never saw him/her). Campus was super creepy. Emily and I stuck together like glue, freaking each other out with the sound of the wind coming from outside. We worked on our assignments a little longer in the evening. At one point, the phone in one of the rooms rang, and we both freaked out, thinking the worst - that we were in the movie One Missed Call. We decided to call it quits around 9pm and watched an old movie. One that neither of us have ever seen before.
When we were tired and ready for bed, I walked Emily to her cabin and then ran to mine. It has been nice (during the day) having campus be so quiet but at night, it seems a little too quiet.
When everyone came home today, I knew we made the right choice. All stories started with, "it was wet" and ended with, "we couldn't go anywhere or see anything because of the weather." Most of the students were trapped in hostels, cabins, or tents the entire weekend in hope that the storm would pass. Fortunately, it did. But not until after lunch time today. It was wonderful having everyone home. Steph and Joy left us pizzas for dinner that we could make ourselves. We cranked the music in the wharekai, made some pizzas, and had a huge dance party. What a wonderful weekend in Kaiaua.
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