day five!

• big fun today - i went on a dolphin-viewing boat ride around the bay. we were out on the water for most of a beatiful sunny afternoon and saw two separate pods of dolphins. we couldn't swim with either one because they had babies along - cute, if you can use the word cute about a baby that's four feet long and weighs hundreds of pounds. the dolphins swam right up to and all around the boat, sprayed in our faces, and played jumping and chasing games. i've never seen anything like it - several times, they were so close, if i'd stuck my leg out a bit i'd have kicked a dolphin in the fins. the boat operators knew many of the individual dolphins by name and pointed out some they'd seen grow up in their 10 or so years on the bay. the ride wasn't exactly cheap, but i'd do it again if i was going to be in paihia even one more day - it was that great. i almost booked again for tomorrow, anyway, but i decided to see cape reinga instead - where the pacific ocean and the tasman sea crash into each other.
• josiah, if you're reading this, another thing i forgot was my zit cream - but don't bother bringing any along on your trip to america. even with the exchange rate in my favor, it cost me twice as much here as it would in chicago.
• i'm staying at a different place tonight and tomorrow night - just as clean, much cheaper, and with three friendly roommates: one from ireland, one from scotland, and one from england. we compared notes on what we've seen so far in new zealand, and we all agreed it's a great place. the irish woman is travelling alone like me and the other two are together. it's been fun to meet people from all over.
• ok, the cafe is closing, so i'm off to sleep now - tomorrow's another big day.