Day 32, Lost on a train, found a train in
Auckland
Today seemed sunny and I did get to sleep in
as well, well until around 730am but it was a decent sleep. I decided I had to
post several things before I left for the family history centre. I did get a
cooked breaky at Maccas and ended up spilling my coffee into the scrambled egg
and snags. I still ate the food as I was hungry and thought it would be better
in than out. I didn’t mind, but this was the start of a very different
adventure for today. I posted my book and had a lady at the post office who
must be a local of the Hokianga area as
she had seen my book. I let her write down the title. One of the reasons I was
posting more stuff was that the photo albums take up room and can be heavy.
I caught the train and jumped on the one
going through newmarket as it was going inthe direction I was going in. Turns
out it bypasses the whole area through a loop. Before I figured out I had gone
too far, I had gone around 7 stations away from where I was supposed to be.
Takanini looked a little low budget, very low budget and i only had a 2 min
wait to get the right train. I got a train ride and seen a steam museum thing
on the way. I am not touching trains on Saturday for a reason as they wont be
running and you could imagine if I had caught a bus. No trains are running this
weekend at all for maintenance for some reason. Luckily my plan is to do the
family history centre and cemetery. I never cried when I found I was lost, I
jumped off the train and shrugged. If I had been heaps younger then I would
have problems with getting myself lost.
Once I was on the right track to the train
station in Panmure, I found the whole place had changed since I was there and I
did find my way to the family history centre without any problems. I partially
remembered where to go, but they had changed the area around the train station.
I don’t think it would have helped I remembered the hill behind me as anywhere
you go the tree would be behind you. Once I was inside I was able to get some
research done. What makes it easier was the fact I could use a CD with
marriages right until 1956. I was correcting the dates I had been given and
confirming many that I had, which I did not have certificates for. During this
time I made some purchases of CDs that can help with my research including the
burial locator. Another was a CD for the family history group that I can only
use. I found it easier putting the information straight into my computer while
I had the program up.
I had stayed there for several hours doing my
data entry and then took off with my new CDs that will be useful for my family
history stuff. By the time I got outside it was actually blowing really hard. I
was lucky to get the train as I had just walked down the ramp. Another short
trip later I had to get another ticket from Britomart and then be on my way to
Glen Eden for the cemetery tour I was going to go on. I was taking myself on
the tour and could someday go on a tour to find some people and have a longer
time at it since last time I was there it had been getting dark. Hopefully this
time around I wont be there for too long.
I remembered an easier entrance to the
cemetery just off the train line on a street called Waikamete that would have
been obvious as an entrance to the cemetery. I did notice a sign talking about
there being an open day tomorrow letting people know about the cemetery
reaching capacity in 2018. I wont go as the trains are not running and I have
other things to visit. I did see the sextants office, who did everything
including dig graves. I actually stopped at one headstone that were for Potters
and I had to turn my computer on to see if they were actually the people I was
after. They were actually and I was impressed. Next I went looking for Alice
Gabolinscy’s grave, although last time I thought it had been destroyed by time
as i couldn’t find it. Before going looking at the Wesleyan section I found the
mass grave that was done for the 1918 influenza and the monument dedicated to
them. I did find what was left of Alice’s grave and the only part that doesn’t
exist is the cross on top. I can see why you could walk past as it had faded
and had another little marker about her sister. I had to enter more data as it
gave the full name of the husband of Alice’s husband. Another grave I was
looking for was one of the people who supplied goods to the Gum diggers who
were after the Kaori gum that were in the swamps, which were like gold. Another
part I found was another Gabolinscy who was buried in the soldiers area, but
couldn’t find last time either.
I was
very happy with my finds and knew it was tie that I had to go even though I
could have stayed until dark. The body needs substance and I will do something
for that. Tomorrow is my last day before I fly out on the Sunday. I plan on
going to the museum and a bus tour with hope. When I got to the train station,
I actually found the train was coming so had to rush putting money into the
machine so I could get my ticket. Once on the train I was happy to have a bag
off my back and relaxing on a trip back to the city. I think I have learned
plenty on my trip so far and found many things that will help with my knowledge
in New Zealand. I might go for a wander later on, although I did get back to
the hostel around 830pm having dinner along the way which did make me feel
better. I hope to do a bus day tour thing and we will see what happens in the
morning to see what sort of day it will be.
Tip
Make sure you know what the train map is like
so you dont jump on the train that avoids the section you want to visit. What I
should have done was get on the one that said it was going to Glen Innes not
Newmarket.
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