Tuesday in North-Land

Sunrise/Make-Shift Pancake Day/Goodbyes

     Seeing  how this was absolutely the last morning that I would have in New Zealand living directly across from the beach, and one of the last mornings in New Zealand, Emily and I decided that we wanted to get up early and watch the sun rise. So we woke up about 5:30 and started to walk over the the beach. We were having a nice little walk, when we realized we were hungry. So we started talking about what we would have for breakfast. Well we still had a pancake mix that we bought at the store the other day, so we thought it was perfect! Go watch the sunrise, then go back home and make pancakes! We knew it was the perfect plan!

     We got to the beach, and we sat on the beach. I must say, I am going to really miss the beach. I have grown to love everything about it. I'm going to miss being able to go watch the sunset, or be able to get up and watch the sun rise. I'm going to miss walking along the beach and hearing the waves come crashing into shore. It's such a peaceful feeling. I love being able to just walk along the beach either at night or in the morning it's such a peaceful feeling. It's truly one of my all time favorite things to do in the world. The beach has become a favorite spot to me.

       As we watched the sunrise, it was really pretty. It's amazing what just a vast amount of light can do to the sky and the clouds. It's incredible. I am so lucky to have been able to be close enough the beach to see the sunrise on the beach!

      After we had watch the sun come up, we started to head back to the motel. We figured it was time for breakfast, and then time to pack and get ready to head back to Auckland. As we made our way back to our hotel, Emily goes, "I think we may have a problem. I don't think we have a spatula to flip our pancakes." So we thought about it, and we couldn't remember, but we decide it would be okay, because we can just toss them up or make use with something else. Then a little bit farther down the way she goes, "We also didn't get anything to grease the pan with. I don't know if this is going to work." We sat there thinking about it, and we had NOTHING we could use to grease the pan. This one we didn't know how we were going to solve the problem. The store wasn't open yet, and we were leaving before it opened, and we had nothing else for breakfast!

      So we got back and we are looking for something we could grease the pan with, and we have the little milk containers that come in plastic that you put in coffee or hot chocolate. This is when I came up with the BRILLIANT idea of let's make our own butter! I know I would have done well in the pioneer days! Well noting that it isn't even heavy whipping cream we are starting with, it was just milk, this didn't work. So even though it didn't work, we decided we would put a little of just the bubbly milk on the frying pan and see if that would work. Just so you know...it doesn't work.

      We still need breakfast so we thought, oh maybe if we just cook them on the pan it will be okay and we'll be able to flip them. Well this was stupid idea number two. Of course that didn't work! ha ha It just burnt the bottom and stuck to the pan. We then figured well there is something on the bottom of the pan now, so what if we just cook it on the burnt stuff. So we poured some of the batter onto it, and guess what! It didn't work. I know sorry for the let down, but it just continued burning! 

     Seeing how we were still in a fix we are still trying to come up with ANYTHING to grease the pan. Then Emily realizes we have cheesecake in the fridge from last night. We figured it was kind of like cream cheese, so it just might work. We spread the cheesecake on the bottom of the pan, then poured the batter on it...and guess what! Epic fail again! We had no hope! So we decided we would give up,  and go without breakfast. So we started getting ready, and we were taking our bags out to the vans, then Emily came up with an idea. She said, "I wonder if you can cook pancakes in the microwave on a plate." We all just burst out laughing at her, and were like you've got to be joking me. You cannot cook pancakes in the microwave! 

       So then she decided she was going to try it...and GUESS WHAT!?! It totally worked! We had pancakes cooked in the microwave! Who knew you could cook pancakes in the microwave! It was crazy! It's impossible to burn them, you get a perfect pancake every time, and you don't even have to flip them! I must say it was pretty incredible! They even tasted just like normal pancakes! We were so excited!  

          After we had eaten our pancakes we were finishing up packing. I finished a little bit early, and so did Emily and so we were just practicing our ukulele skills (James brought the uke up and told us to learn it. Emily plays the guitar and is really good on it so she was able to play the uke, so then she taught me. I can play a couple songs on the uke...one of which we made up.) Anyway so both of us are super tired because were up so early, and we were already laughing so hard because we had just made pancakes in the microwave, so we created this song! We also declared April 5th forever and ever to be Make-shift-pancake day! You will always wake up now in my house on April fifth and smell nothing, but wake up to pancakes because they were cooked in the microwave! Enjoy our song (Spin off from Bruises by Chairlift.)

        After we had our laughs and our giggles we packed up and headed out to the vans. Today was the last day we would all see each other, and the last day we would see James. We presented him with the reasons why we love him and will miss him, then we sang our Te Arohoa song. It was so pretty. All of us had tears in our eyes and coming down our face. After we all just said a little something to James and told him thank you for all he's done. We couldn't have done it without him. Without him, this program would be lost. We wouldn't have any idea of what to do! Then after we all sang Lean on Me while Emily played the Uke. It was one of the most sweetest sincere songs ever. We all were bawling, and couldn't even sing. It's incredible the friendships we have made over here,  and the love that we developed for all of the girls and leaders over here. It was a very sad goodbye. I can't say much more, or I will probably be crying again, but I know I have 18 people from over here I can count on to be there for me! I am so blessed to have had such an amazing experience over here.

       After we sang we got in the cars and came home. It was an incredible Northland trip. Oh yeah...and 

HAPPY MAKE SHIFT PANCAKE DAY EVERYONE!