Where: Gisborne, first city to see the sun, first landing of Captain James Cook
Who: Wingham and Tonto
How: on foot (I'm so out of shape right now!)
Why: Gisborne is one of the few major cities on the North Island I hadn't visited. It proclaims itself as being "First place to see the light" (it's even on the drain covers). It is built around that landing sight of the first pakeha (Europeans) to get here. There was once a large amount of export industry here, but as roads improved it was deemed easier to export on the west cost, transporting everything there via the roads. That apparent exception to this is the timber.
I started the day win brisk walk to, around, up, and over, the large hill that over looks Gisborne.
At the base of the hill is the port, where today a ridiculous number of logs were being loaded.
By the entrance to the port, however, sits a monument to the first pakeha to land on New Zealand, Captain James Cook.
Above this spot, on the hill, are numerous sites, including old cottage sites, look outs, and the observatory. May favourite spot has to be the statue of "Cpt James Cook" near the top. It's not James. It's a bronze replica of a random marble statue from Italy. The uniform's not British, and the face is nothing like that of the portraits of Jimmy. It was all sponsored by a brewery- they have the statues twin at their main site in Auckland. Yet it's still a good representation, and the view is pretty sweet, so it'll do.
After all the exercise the rain set in, a signal to head off for the museum.
Admission free on Mondays! Good timing
The museum doubles as an art gallery, so there was lots on photography of the local area, art exhibits, Maori and Pakeha history.
Most amazingly they've got half a ship in the museum!
The Heart of Canada, from Belfast, sank just off the coast. The captain's quarters and the piloting area (don't know the real name, bit with the wheel) were salvaged and rebuild on the side of the museum.
There were also exhibits about the areas surfing history, Maori boat building, and James Cook's initial landing.
From here we went on to the Botanical Garden, with its desert green house, aviary, native plant garden, and assortment of trees. Nice place to sit and take 5 before I came back to the hostel.
All in all a good day to start me off. Now I really need a shower, lots of tea, and some sleep.
Tomorrow morning we're off to Rotorua!
Monument to Cpt Cook
Not Cpt Cook, but close enough
View of the bay, with ship being filled with ex-trees
Tonto taking charge of the Heart of Canada
Looking at the compass
The real Captain James Cook
Random little fence in the Botanical Gardens, looks like bamboo, actually painted steel pipes. Penned Tonto up to keep the ducks safe
The Flying Nun, an ex-convent, now hostel
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