Day 15 Whirlwind through Hamilton Gardens

Day 15 Whirlwind through Hamilton Gardens

Today the weather was nice and sunny, but I have my brolly in my bag in case of any wetness from the sky, but I did take my raincoat out as it means extra weight. I am also in need for a clothes wash soon too. I did have a good sleep and was ready to meet the day. The night before I had worked out what I wanted to do and I knew where I was headed. I was going to Hamilton Gardens and that was where I was going to spend my day. I would catch the bus there.

I did have breakfast and coffee on the move as I was wanting to find a post office to post several things before I went to Auckland on Wednesday. Once the post office was found I did look through some books in the bookstore as I wanted to see what was there. I did go into The Warehouse to have a look along with several other shops. I think I might get the Sony ereader, though I don’t know yet. I did look at new cameras though my camera stopped working during the day, but I managed to get it to work again by taking the batteries out. It was time for me to wait at the bus station for my bus to Hamilton Gardens.

An interesting part of Hamilton is that you can get free wifi internet in certain parts of the city CBD and the bus terminal. I don’t know if you are timed, but it doesn’t seem like you are and data will work. The good news is that if you are after timetables then you can get them off the internet. The bus station is easy to navigate as the parking area is lettered like ‘G’ for the gardens and it only cost me $3.30 one way.  The bus ride was actually quicker than I thought it would be as the Hamilton Gardens was it only stop and did have a lady ask me and another person if it went past a certain area, but none of us knew. The bus did park at the carpark in the gardens and would pick you up at the same place when you wanted it to although the last time it ran was at 2.50pm, I could have ended up at the lake too if I wanted though maybe next time. Once off the bus I went into the information centre after a map to the gardens and where the cemetery was in regards to the gardens as well.

The cemetery was not very far and was apparently part of the gardens too as one of the roads from the entrance branched off. I would go there later, but I was off through the gardens looking at a visual history of the different gardens from around the world from large English gardens to Japanese garden complete with a zen area too. The Tudor fantasy garden was not what I thought it would be as I had the impression that it would have hedges carved into animals like unicorns, but ended up being fantasy animals hanging off poles. Dont get me wrong I did enjoy the different gardens although not everything was open like the surrealist garden as it was still being made up. The grounds were very open especially when you could wander just about anywhere including having a picnic near the lakes on the mowed lawns. The gardens is free for everyone and the council worksat keeping the area nice an clean. I had to have lunch before I went to the cemetery and it wasn’t a pie at all. Today was a pie free day, which I guess it really good. I had lamb noodles and a melting moment with a black coffee.

The cemetery I found with relative easy although I had a nice walk along the river bank before the track wound up to the top of the hill. The cemetery rose up and grabbed me for my attention as I began wandering through it. I found it interesting although I was surprised to see holes in the ground that I thought were from rabbits and I thought I had seen one. I did end up confronting two rabbits and we both were surprised and then it vanished. I knew I had to watch my feet as I could fall down a hole and I am not Alice at all. I did wander around most of the cemetery and there was a gardener mowing between the headstones, so I guess it must not be the best job around, but someone has to do it. I couldn’t really find one of those headstones that gives you a life story and I didn’t really know who the town knowns were as I would have know who they were. I think it is strange how I couldn’t remember who they were especially the woman who was the first white woman to land in the town. The military headstones were interesting as some had other family members attached as well.

The way back to the city was something I wanted to do by foot. I had seen on my map that I could follow the river into town and the CBD. That is exactly what I did as t was by that time mid afternoon and clouds were coming though I was not worried by them. What I did have to do was cross the Victoria bridge again, but I did pass a beach, which was well known for being a landing point for Maori in the craft. I was doing my best not to attract attention from several people who were sitting along the banks including one person who was fast asleep. I was lucky to make it back to the cover of buildings as big fat drops started falling from the sky. I was on the other side of town from where I was supposed to be, but had no problem walking to the hostel. I had to do the washing too, which is a pain, but has to be done sometime. Everything is packed for the next part of the trip to Auckland where I am spending several days before flying off home. I don’t know what I am going to do in Auckland tomorrow, but might take a trip to the family history centre for some CDs and then I will have 3 full days to spend anywhere. MOTAT is one of my plans while in Auckland.