So when it gets to 23 and sunny in Auckland (as it has been for 10 of the 12 days this month), people hit the beach.
Therefore, I went to the beach today. It was my first real day spent on the sand in over 2.5 years. I consider Barcelona in June 2005 to have been my last beach experience. Of course, then it was 41 degrees and stinkin’ humid. I have decided that I much prefer 23 on a cloudless, breeze-free day.
Everybody in New Zealand is paranoid about sunburn. Right now on telly, they are airing public service announcements about making sure children are wearing sunscreen. It shows kids putting on t-shirts or stepping into the shower and recoiling at the pain the sunburn causes them. It finishes with a middle-aged woman in a hospital gown with one of those imposing voiceovers: “Today’s sunburn is tomorrow’s skin cancer.” Last up is a graphic with that stupid 4 S slogan that makes no sense at all (Slip Slap Slop Wrap).
I mean, I get heckled at work for showing up with red forearms after an hour of kayaking but down here I am legitimately scolded and “tut-tutted” for not wearing sunscreen. And EVERYBODY is in on it! Fair skinned or otherwise, my sun-stupid habits are definitely frowned upon here.
But you should see how wicked tanned I look, especially once today’s sunburn fades down in a couple of days.
Mission Bay was my destination. We stopped for ice cream afterwards (I went with a running friend, who incidentally gets the credit for the running-in-the-Maple-Leaf-kit banner photo). It was a $6.40 return bus trip. I’m going to eat restaurant food for dinner, as soon as I work up the motivation to go out again. Definitely one of the nicest, chill dates in New Zealand to date.
Holy smokes, I Live in New Zealand. 