DAY 4 THURSDAY

EXPLORING NEW BRIGHTON


I walked into the little town of New Brighton today. It has an impressive number of fish and chip shops, several thrift stores, a really great public library, and not much else. It feels a bit like new year's day there — a place where the party always seems to have happened yesterday and everyone's in denial about clean up. But I don't want to give the impression that I don't like it here because I'm quite enamoured of New Brighton. I like that its not a manicured resort town where I feel as if I took a wrong turn and ended up in the Truman Show. I like it that the library staff are not a bit interested in enforcing the rule about limiting internet use to thirty minutes, and that the backpacker's hostel serves breakfast all day. Hell, I like it that there is a backpacker's hostel. I like it that people stop to chat when I walk on the beach.

Kid's surf school.

Kid's surf school.

The very cool library.

New Brighton's main street.

Surfers head out.

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I stopped for a haircut and asked for it short and boy-like so it will take a while to grow out. I usually feel most like "me" with short hair but in Ghana its difficult to find someone who knows how to cut obruni hair.

Me: Let’s go really short, say, something between Baby Boy’s First Haircut and a Rockstar With Bedhead.

Stylist: You mean like Justin Beiber?

Me: (Unsure if she is being ironic.) New look or last look?

Stylist: New.

Me: Oh. In Canada, I live really near Justin Beiber’s hometown.

Stylist: Gosh! How exciting! That’s really awesome!

Me: I think many of us are real tired of him.

Stylist: (Silence.)

Me: (Now that I’ve stuffed my foot in my mouth, I try not to bite down.) Uh, maybe something like Pete Doherty meets Lawrence Welk?

Call me Beiber-Marie.