Where’s your Year Ending In One now, eh?!

Why do you always think of something witty and damning to say after the event? I’m unlocking the hostel door to my room at 7pm last night when this old woman with a German accent comes out of her room and says, “I would like to ask you to shut and open your door quietly please. No noise.” I shrug, she disappears and I go back down the corridor to find Sue and then return a couple of minutes later. The door swings close behind me, not noisily but forcibly enough so that the latch catches. Knock knock, “That was not quiet. I just asked you to be quiet. No noise please.” I’m speechless and just gawp at her until she goes back into her room. I neglect to remind her that a) this is a youth hostel, the stupid old bat, and that noise is inevitable, b) the doors need to be banged so that they’ll actually lock properly, c) it’s only 7pm, and d) that she should get a life and stop bothering poor backpackers! Just because she’s old, it doesn’t mean she can talk to me like I’m five years old!

Was a bit narked for the rest of the evening but it didn’t stop Sue, Amy and me from enjoying Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, an absolutely amazing kung-fo type film in Chinese with subtitles but with incredible direction (by Ang Lee), scenery and special effects. Simple storyline but lots of fight sequences extremely well done. I’m not really into martial arts films but I thoroughly recommend you see it. Off to Whitianga this afternoon: will write more from there.