By the numbers
17.06kms
24,765 steps
1 archive centre
Last night I had to rush in getting everything done on my
computer as it had been late and for some reason the USB charger and powerpoint
near my bed wasn’t working at all. I didn’t want to stay up past 11pm as people
were trying to sleep and I had not discovered the lounge room yet. Though I
think that was closed at 10pm. I might have missed something other than hitting
my head on the bus door after getting out of the boot.
I heard the usual hostel morning noises before I got up,
which meant other people were moving onto the next destination. How did I know?
I wasn’t up yet and it was just after 6am so people had a bus to catch
somewhere. I hadn’t put my photos off my cameras as it had been too late to do
so. I wasn’t too worried as I was happy to get my day on with and left not long
after 7am. I wanted to see where I had to go for the bus tomorrow, while having
an eye out for something for breakfast. I took a walk around the Cathedral to
follow the bus route, although I stopped on The Bridge of Remembrance as it had
been fenced off last time I was there, but its good that the danger zones had
shrunk and was barel there anymore except for parts. I found the bus station,
but I had no idea at the time where to catch the bus until I seen the regional
bus sign and exited the building to find the stop had actually been out the
front where I had walked in one entrance and then walked out another. Across
the road I found coffee and breakfast. I needed to get to the National Archives
and was following my handy map that my phone allowed me to use without the use
of any data. I knew where I was by following my little blue circle. I had
backtracked through Cathedral Square and was surprised to see the trams could
actually work. Wandering on, I looked to my right just as I stepped out and was
shocked to see a slow moving tram. I think I was lucky the tram was waiting for
the workers to move out of the way. It was a big shock though.
I arrived at the Archives a few minutes before 930am and
found the door to be locked. A lady told me from the street that the Archives
was still shut. Next door to the building was a vacant lot that was now a
community garden type thing and a cooking school t night too, which I thought
was cool. The door to the Archives automatically unlocked as I waited for
someone to walk downstairs. A week ago there had been a glitch with the
Archives website and a record I had ordered had not come through. I had two
records ordered and I had a family tree one that I was interested in as it was
a trial. Most of the information I got from it I had found through the
newspapers. I was worried about damaging the old court record from 1913 as it
was getting fragile on the edges. I realised that I had somehow lost my
Archives card and looked for it around the desk I was sitting at. It was
actually in my back pocket, but I could not feel it. The two records were the
only ones I wanted to look at and I thought it interesting the Archives were
only open until 1pm.
The next place my wanderings took me was down the road to
the Addington Cemetery where I wanted to see the grave of Kate Shepphard who
was to do with the Suffrage movement in the 1890s to give women the right to
vote in New Zealand. There was a bit of damage to the cemetery from the big
quake or I thought it was. The cemetery wasn’t the first cemetery, but it was
the first public one were people who didn’t conform to the Anglican religion at
the Barbados Cemetery. These people were considered to be dissenters and
radicals. I got the shock of my life to see people walking along a track at the
back of the Cemetery. There was actually a walkway there and I looked on both
ends even though I couldn’t get a direct route back to the city.
I had originally thought about catching the bus back, but I
thought it would be easier to walk through the park. There was a bus stop right
out front of the cemetery. It was possible to do so, but I took off walking straight
up the street where I would connect with Christchurch Hospital via Hagley Park.
I walked past the hospital somehow without putting eyes on it and arrived into
the Botanic gardens having a look at the roses they grew there. Not all were
blooming and I wandered to the front of the museum as I had a plan of getting
back to the hostel early and getting the washing done before it became too
late. I knew I would have the same idea as many others. Once I was out there
after a quick shower, I sat at the machines waiting and keeping myself occupied
until the washer and dryer had done their jobs. Since I was leaving the next
day I wanted to have everything ready and packed. I did some more walking around
once I was free again and had some food before heading back. I was actually
getting tired, which I think everything was starting to catch up with me. I
think I now know my way around the city, but the only problem is if you want
something bad for your health, Maccas is a little far away. I still didn’t get
to see the Weather Wizard of Christchurch.
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