On the left side of the road.

Wednesday, October 7th

Okay, today has been my favorite so far. I woke before 6 to head out for a run down by the water and found many other people already out walking/running. Imagine me- in a running skirt & green tank top...standing to the side of the path waiting for my Garmin to realize that we are not in Pensacola.

I stand there.

For a looooong time.

While Aussies walk by and mutter to my cheerful Good Morning, "dressed light, aren't we?". I don't think they could figure out why I was just standing there -in low 50 degree weather.

Anyways, I ran. Down the jetty, across two beach fronts, up lots of stairs to an overlook that literally took my breath away. The Pacific ocean - a deep green and turquoise, crashing against rocks, a variety of green trees, the sun rising while the moon is still in the sky.

Oh. The colors and the feelings. Have I mentioned how much I love to see the world we live in - on my feet? Running and hiking - doesn't get much better. (pictures coming at some point)

I took Candis to the overlook after breakfast and as we were heading back up the stairs to the car- we passed a group of women from the local Anglican church at a picnic table that is situated at an overlook. I took about 6 steps up the stairs & told Candis that I was going back. We walked up and explained we were on a holiday and just wanted to ask them some questions. Haha. They were delightful. We only talked for about 10 minutes -they have been mtg together for about 4 years and were connected thru the church. They gave us ideas
of places to visit and recommended that we both move to Port Macquarie.

Then. It was time for me to drive. I hated leaving Port Macquarie but I can now drive on the left side of the road. We continued up the coast to a town called Murwillbah to find a cabin in Mt. Warning National Park. We will be waking early tomorrow to hike to the top
before sunrise.

Ate salt & pepper calamari for lunch in Coffs Harbour.

Oi! Oi! Oi!

Tuesday, Oct 6

Sooooo...we have left Sydney & have begun our journey up the coast.
We took the train to the airport for our rental car and then hit the
road. Candis drove first- on the left side of the road... I realized
that we hadn't gotten me properly signed up to drive the rental, so
she was the driver. Round abouts are the hardest to figure out...only
one scary situation, otherwise she did great.

We made our way to Newcastle which has an observation deck and a great walkway out onto a jetty. Gorgeous! We have taken sooo many pics - of each other, of scenery and of our food. We ate at the oldest meat pie take-away hut....chicken pie covered in cheese sauce, mashed potatoes & gravy. Mmmmmm... Then we wandered and took in the sights.

Off to Port Macquarie for the night. We stayed at the Hotel Macquarie or "Macca" as we learned the locals call it. Got a double bed with community showers for a great price. Wandered on the water and watched the sun go down.

Settled in early - with plans for an early morning run to check out the walking path by the water.

I have to say that at this point I am so thankful for this opportunity to be here. We are moving faster than I would like but that is so we can slow down on the way back. We are talking to locals and asking questions when we can.

I ask for your prayers about the 2nd two weeks that I will be here...there are a couple different things that I can do but i have to wait and see what comes through.

Crazy driving and new foods???

Wednesday continued:

So after Richee left we decided to get some food "to go". We got shawarma to go on Tuesday in Onitsha and so Mare decided to take me to a different "fast food" restaurant called Renny's. We got into the car and as soon as she started it and let it go to idle...the car died. And we both just started cracking up. Then the car lights went out. So we agreed that we wanted to try to venture out at night to this restaurant...but weren't sure the car would make it...but we decided to try. Basically the poor car would stall anytime it was in neutral or idle...it's a standard car - it's often in neutral AND the lights would randomly go off so she had to . So Mare had to navigate the traffic, rev the engine when we came to stop(which means braking with the left foot), and switch the lights between on and brights...NUTS! All in all - she did a great job...

We got to Renny's and picked out some Agusi soup with foofoo and garee...it is more like a stew that is eaten with a starch with your fingers. And to eat this you use a technique called swallowing. Roll a small amount of the starch in your fingers - scoop some soup and then place on tongue and swallow. So we both ordered the same thing - but hers had a big ol piece of fish and mine did not...no meat for me. :)

We headed out and got into the marvelous car and...it wouldn't start. So I got out to try to push it cause sometimes if you push start it...it will start. Very laughable...a white girl trying to push a car...some men stopped to help us and started pushing her car down the road...AND it didn't start. They kept hitting the trunk and yelling..."start!" "Go!". But we couldn't. And just as we were about to give up - the engine turned over. Whew. So we made it home.

I have to say - out of everything else I have eaten here in Nigeria - Agusi soup is not my favorite. I don't mind the starch or the swallowing...but the soup tasted pretty fishy and Mare says that the one we had is the least fishy that she has eaten. SO...I probably won't be eating too much more of that this week.

Otherwise, I am reading "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne this week - and am absolutely loving how it is challenging me. Especially while I am in Nigeria.

Movie Nights with friends...

I have a new tradition that happens everyone Thursday night at my house. For the past 2 1/2 years I have had friends over to watch movies and make dinner together.
We pick the movie based on what kind of food we want to make OR pick the food based on the movie we want to watch. As in, if we want to watch Yentl, then we would make Jewish foods(no one has requested that movie by the way - even though it is one of my favorites - sigh.)

My friend Stacy loves to cook and so we talked about doing this a couple of years ago and it has become one of my favorite things to do with people.
The food is fantastic. And the movies have been great!
Recently we have watched:
The Believer
Once
Danny Deckchair
Eagle vs. Shark
Like water for chocolate
The Secret Life of Words
The science of Sleep
Tsotsi
Water
Saint Ralph
Paper Clips

And more. We make the food together, we laugh, we talk, we drink, we eat and then we watch a movie. Life is good.
Tomorrow night? We are making pizza's and watching Rocket Science.