Invercargill's AmericaRna!

I left the U.S. with an education project for work unfinished.  It has been a month since Jeff and I arrived, and have been easily distracted from finishing it (by zombies, spectacular regions, etc.).  Also, internet access is sporadic, and when not in a city it is quite costly (paying by the MB).  So I decided to imprison myself in a hostel in a city called Invercargill.  Mind you, I was aware this city has a reputation for minor crimes and unsavoury characters – similar to Lewiston, Maine.  I chose this location on purpose – less distractions!  Or so I thought.

I arrived on Friday afternoon, got lost (which is rather unusual) and kept driving around town in circles, and accidentally entered a street that was closed off to traffic.  Just then, I noticed all these shiny, older model cars around and in front of me.  A police officer gestured for me to stop.  When he saw my sheepish grin, he smiled and asked where I was trying to go.  Seems I was on the wrong side of the street (literally) – the hostel I was seeking was on the other side of the closed-off road (no access).  So, I pulled off the “no non-American car zone road), parked Millie, and attempted to walk to the hostel.  When I got to the main drag, I was startled to see HUNDREDS of these cars on parade, with the passengers waving AMERICAN FLAGS!  Vertigo set in – you are now entering…THE TWILIGHT ZONE.  The streets had American flag banners floating across them, even Confederate flags were waving and Dukes of Hazzard car horns were blaring, and even a 1978 Minnesota State Patrol car was parading!  I asked a spectator what was going on.  He explained this was NZ’s annual AmeriCARna festival, held every year in Invercargill.  Kiwis who own American cars drive down to Invercargill from all over the country to participate in this event!  (I was miffed – here I’m trying to take a short break from the culture of my homeland, only to be thrown right back into it!)   I was in shock: just could not wipe this wide grin off my face for at least two hours (not that I was trying to!), and took LOTS of pictures and videos.  (These are all in the updated Week 4 Photos - link at the top of the blog.  Notice that several of the drivers are on the LEFT side of the vehicle in these American cars - it is apparently legal to drive on this side in NZ.)  I actually stuck out my thumb and got a fun ride in a ’58 Ford Fairlane!  Whoo hoo!

So, AGAIN distractions were dangling in front of me – a weekend Americarna festival where even Americans would be tolerated more than usual as they celebrate decades of "great" cars.  I did socialize a bit on Friday and Saturday evenings in the pubs next door to the hostel, saw one fight and did feel a bit like prey a couple of times.  But, safety in numbers and I met lots and lots more friendly, cool people too!  AND – I FINALLY finished my project.  YAY!

Tomorrow morning, I am off to Rakiura (Stewart) Island, to backpack the Rakiura Track.  It is a 3-day hike, one of the Great Walks of NZ.  I’ll be staying in backcountry huts, maybe seeing kiwis (bird version) and other rare birds, native forests……