Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Wandering boots that wander tour Day 11 Rainy day in Huntly





By the numbers
1 wet day
11,535 steps
7.97 kms
I allowed myself to sleep in as I had seen from the weather report that there would be plenty of rain. I went to bed with the sound of showers and woke up to the sounds of showers and had breakfast to a downpour. How was my stay in the Essex Arms in Huntly? Apart from the little booking issue. It has been a dream. I have had a comfy bed that was really warm and what is needed. I have been watching the TV and got to watch a doco about the Swiss Army knife on a channel called Duke. Luckily I had done what I wanted the day before. At least this time I didn’t set my alarm so must have needed the sleep even though I did end up going to sleep late.

After having the required coffee and breakfast where I met my nemesis the booking manager working in the cafe next to the hotel. That was part of the hotel and I was happy to eat there as I wasn’t wanting to go up the road in the rain. After breakfast I visited the library to see what books they had. Of course I visited the graphic novels and found what I wanted to read, but I wanted to look for the NZ history books. I came across a book on the history of NZ motorcycles and a few car manuals strangely enough. There was even a book about Brisbane though I was happy with a pictorial bok on sights in New Zealand like the Tui building and the Alexandra Redoubt monument near to Pokeno, but too far if I wanted to walk there from Huntly. Believe me I checked and it was a 10 hour walk. I sat reading my graphic novel – Spider-Man Spiderverse while watching the rain come and go.

I thought I would take a short walk towards lake Hakanoa on the other side of the highway as it has a walk around the lake. I was thinking about walking around until I got hit in two rain flurries. I made my way to the first part of the walk at the obvious entry way. I changed my mind after it rained again even though I had my trusty brolly. I wasn’t wearing my shoes as I was wearing my comfy sandals that I had gotten in Whakatane. There were several buildings that I had looked at along the way like one of the churches and the Masonic lodge both on the heritage list and made from local brickwork. Something with a little bit of trivia. I decided to have an easy afternoon by reading a book and trying to watch TV. It was strange watching people play a computer game and commentators were calling it like a footy game. I was happy to be inside and not out in the rain where the weather seemed to be cooler than I had thought it would be.

Tomorrow I am up at the crack of dawn or well before light to catch the bus to Auckland and then from there head to Whangarei where I will stay for the next 8 days. I should have a look at the bus service to make sure everything is alright there too.

The funny part about the booking was that they don’t think I have turned up even though I wrote down my details. It is quickly becoming a comedy saga. I thought I would include this as well since I received an email saying my arrival has not been confirmed.

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