Wellington - Nov. 24

Wellington, NZNovember 24 -- Tom's 36th bday
Wellington is a world cooler than Auckland. The hills look remarkably like Sausalito, with impossibly windy streets, Victorians, and epic bay views. Culturally, its much more bohemian than Auckland. It appears to have a bustling alternative culture, bet. cafes, bookstores, bars, music and clothing stores, etc. Definitely "edgier", tho NZ at its edgiest is about like Walnut Creek.
Had a wild couple of days. No, seriously. It turns out that when I had the "visions" on the secret beach that I described in my last posting, that I was, in fact, starting to trip a little bit. The MD in Auckland gave me a serious dosing regimen of Apo-Prednisone, a steriod that reduces swelling. Dr. Gill said that it tends to make people feel "happy", which was an important piece of information, as I found myself completely fucked up within 48 hrs and thanks to her telling me that, I was able to deduce that the steroid might be the cause of my "symptoms". Official statement by manufacturers re: symptoms:
More common:nervousness or restlessness
Less common or rare:dizziness or lightheadedness flushing of face or cheeks increased sweating sensation of spinning
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur: confusion depression excitement false sense of well-being hallucinations mistaken feelings of self-importance or of being mistreated mood swings (sudden and wide) restlessness
Well, I experienced all of the above. Hiking up Te Aroha, I kept thinking I was on Mt. Greylock in Williamstown, Mass. Then, driving over the arid Taurangi Plain (which is all sagebrush/basiny), I thought I was in Wyoming. And then, at Lake Taupo, I actually started to think that I was in an alternate universe. Sound fun? With all the other effects (e.g., panic attacks, followed by waves of elation, over and over again) it really wasn't.
I drove onto a beach, covered the windows, and cranked the AC. laying in the back of my Subaru, I had the sense of spinning, and was in a fever state, breathing laboriously. I decided it was time to get an MD to see if there was some kind of antidote.
The country MD was so cool. He said that my reaction to "Apo" was not uncommon, and that certain people couldn't take it at all. While I still felt totally trippy, at least I knew that I wasn't going totally nuts! The MD sent me to get a quiet motel room with AC and take valium until the steroid level went down. I slept for 18 hours, and woke up feeling fine.
Being sick by yourself in a foreign country is never fun. But this was an odd type of "sickness" b/c it actually affected my emotions and thinking. I will forever remember the residents of Lake Taupo as friendly little white aliens from a different universe.