Hamilton

Motorway Entrance

Hamilton is some two hours drive due south of Auckland on the motorway (mostly). Can you imagine the M1 in the UK becoming a town street (sometimes suddenly). The purpose of our journey was to see the gardens in the Summer, having only seen them in the Winter. The weather was iffy, but we decided to go for it.

I was pleased that I was driving south from Auckland at 8:30. The traffic north into the city was not moving. Once passed the outer limits I could put my foot down and maintain a steady 100 (Kms that is). I had been a little unsure of the speed limit and having driven on the motorway I still am. I was told that speed restrictions were rigorously implemented and draconionly penalised. I was not going to take a chance. The scenery to Hamilton was very different to Auckland. The road passed along the edge of valley of the Waikato river which is very long, creating a wide flat plain with wooded hills at each side.

By Kiwi standards, Hamilton is a sizeable town. The gardens were on the south of the town which we reached by following the motorway around the numerous retail parks. Eventually we came to a small island in the middle of the road where we turned right across the northbound highway traffic.

It is hard to describe such a beautiful place. We entered into ample free car parking, walked towards the information centre and turned to an area of the gardens that were set out as example of the gardens of other nations. On the way back, there was the rain. However, it had stopped even before we had purchased coffee in the cafe. The 'coffee art' on the top of my foam filled cup was a picture of an apple. Coffee art keeps its shape to the bottom of the cup. (Who invented it?)

USA Minimalist

Italian

After coffee we headed towards the 'allotments'. This consisted of a six year rotation on enormous plots, surrounded by a tall wall and plots for various fruits. Out of this area were the tips to make your garden eco-friendly, including eating the root of a weed growing in a stagnant pond.

The allotment

From here we struggled to find the rose garden and the hot houses. There were amazing, but you could tell by the roses that summer was coming to an end, and that December and early January was the best time for flowers.

On the way back we thought that we would look for the graves of the last king and queen of the Maoris. We did see a cemetry in the town of Ngaruawahia. However we managed to cross the Waikato and travel along the 'B' road, often being allowed to drive at 100 km. (Another 'however' - you had to be a nutter to do it.) It was well worth driving on this side of the river. It had a more remote NZ feeling, although there were the homes of some of the wealthier in places along the road.

Eventually, we were obligued (Canadians do know this word - see next post) to swing right over the river and back on to the motorway. Again we were blessed. This time the south bound traffic was almost stationary coming out of the city. 'Don't speak to soon, my man' - the last twenty miles being a nightmare, with the 'cleverer' drivers going along the slip roads on the right and undertaking and the vast majority of drivers being unforgiving as you tried to legitamately change lanes. You do have to know more that your directions. You would have thought that the four left hand lanes of a road that enter the T-junction of a similar road going across would have two lanes turning left and two lanes turning right? You have guessed it. Not this junction - three lanes turn right and I am in the one which I thought would go left. Unforgiving is not the word for the uproar as I made my turn into the only left turn lane. Home and tea. Another great day. Another positive achievement that daily I look to make.