Mighty Waikato River....

.....seen winding it's way through the city of Hamilton.

The Waikato is the longest river in New Zealand. Beginning on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu, draining into Lake Taupo and exiting at the north-east. It flows through a series of hydro electric dams and passing through Cambridge, Hamilton, Ngaruawahia and Huntly before it ends and enters the Tasman Sea at Waikato Heads. At 425 km in length it offers great kayaking, boating, rowing and trout fishing and along it's banks are scenic walking and cycling tracks. It's named after the great voyaging Tainui waka 'Waikato' meaning 'flowing water' after observing the river's strong pull to the sea.

I was privileged to be able to rent a flat which overlooked this mighty river when I first started working. I didn't really think anything off it other than the magnificent view and balcony, waking to see rowers training on the river, speed boats with water skiers roaring by and early in the morning the noise of hot air balloons above carrying excited people who were waving and laughing - I was soooo fortunate and didn't realise it, the rent was just average, today I bet it's huge. 

My old flat is in my extra, up on the hill sitting by the grand manor, it's nothing special just upstairs with parking below, the one on the right, delighted it's still there for someone else to enjoy all that I had.

Hubby and I enjoyed searching out our flats and houses that we had lived in during our time in Hamilton. Some had been changed, other's were unrecognizable while other's stayed the same. It was a time to reminisce......

This is our last day in this beautiful city and tonight we went out for dinner and then went and searched for today's sculpture - it is the little brick caravan and I adore it!

Titled 'Holiday's in Huntly' was created by Peter Lange. Peter has used classic pale coloured bricks locally known as Huntly bricks. In this work Peter has drawn on fond memories from the past including, holidays/stays in old caravans and driving through Huntly on journeys between Hamilton and Auckland.

As a child our school holidays were spent in our caravan summer at the beach and winter in a city, so I could easily relate to this. I especially liked that we discovered it at night when the lights were low and it was slightly hidden behind a building, kind of creating a camp ground feel - perfect for my last sculpture in Hamilton.

Tomorrow we're heading north :)