By the numbers
Almost 4kms all up with my main bag on my back.
Weight of bag. Unknown
23,665 steps
16.31kms
I got up early to head off to the bus as it was
leaving just after 8am and I wanted to be there with enough time to spare so I
would be late, just half hour early. The weather was clear so I knew I would be
alright weather wise and not get wet. I checked out to an annoyed hostel host
who told me I should have sorted it out the night before so I could get my key
deposit back and leave the key in the morning. I had gotten him out of bed at
7am so that was understandable. I did not pick up any food or coffee on my way
to the bus thinking the rooms would be open, but alas they were not. I was
lucky that I had something to munch on in my bag and that was a museli bar that
I had since Taupo. The bag was heavy and I was thanking my lucky stars I was
not sweating like a pig exactly like I had been at a few other places. The bus
came and I was happy to see that it was one of those Wifi ones so I could check
the news and be online for other stuff including using maps.
While on the bus i did get some surprises especially
when I was getting closer to Wellington as the book I was reading, Unearthly
Landscapes had a picture I was looking at and I looked over at a cemetery and
did a double take as I recognised one of the headstones. I was in waikanae and
looking St Lukes church at the headstone of the Maori chief, Parata. I was
thinking I might have enough time on Tuesday, but don’t think I will. The funny
thing was the church and cemetery are next to the railway station so I can find
it easily again. Going through Mana and Porirua, I was trying to look for the
places I was wanting to look at, but I could not find the hospital for the
tour. I looked at the online map, but might need to breakout my map in my bag
for the first time though it wont be that bad at all. The bus was actually
getting pretty late with the traffic though I don’t know if it was due to the Edinburgh
tattoo that is on tonight or not. The bus did make it into the city and I was
at my last stop before heading home.
I was thinking that I should catch a bus to the
hostel so my bag wouldn’t be as heavy to lug around and that it wont be that
hot while I am out there wandering. I did get the traditional Wellington
greeting with the wind trying to blow my hat away. I was following the main
street after thinking I knew my way to the hostel, which was true. I could have
taken the Thornton route, but the main drag would take me past Te Papa. Passing
the NZ Post building I found those post vehicles I had seen in New Plymouth.
When walking along a narrow route where I think they were doing some building strengthening
work a lady got the shock of her life as she walked towards me with me barrelling
along in a straight line. She had to duck behind the guy going her way. I
smirked as I passed her as she should have known that the guy with the big bags
wont stop. Te Papa museum looked like it was really busy with at least four
buses out the front. I was not even sweating when I entered the hostel and the
best thing was I had paid for the room well before I left so I was alright
there.
Once I sorted out my bed as I was the only one in
the room at the time and made sure that everything was sorted, I found some lunch
and headed to the museum where I planned to see the Gallipoli exhibit. There
was a mass of people around on the Saturday afternoon and no way I was getting
in since it was an hour or so wait. I found out that it was free and Monday
might be better to head in for a look. I wandered around the museum for a
little while and looked at the books as I was thinking, but left them there as
I was going for wander through the city. The wind was still trying to take my
hat as I walked towards the Beehive. I wanted to have a look at the WW1 war
memorial as they were refurbishing it last time I was in Wellington. My wander
took me all the way through Bolton Street cemetery to where Richard Seddon is
buried and with a decent zoon on a camera I got the top of the column to see the
statue up there. From there I walked through the rose garden and around where the
Cable Car was.
I didn’t realise
it had been getting late as I was up at Victoria University hanging around the
cemetery there too. I was doing a loop that I had thought I would have heaps of
daylight, when I didn’t. I was planning on getting my clothes washed so that I
had clean clothes for the entire time I had left in NZ. I knew my way to Cuba
street where I could then head to the hostel and get lost within the building
even though I knew my way around. The next part of my tour is planned for the morning
as I head to Eastbourne to hire a bike to take a track to a boat wreck I know
if. I am hoping the 7km ride is not too windy, but we shall know. I am thinking
of going to see a Maori grave in a town that is nearby too though we shall see
if I have time for that.
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