Well, Hamilton was interesting in a kind of Fresno way.Not very many people about, though that could be something to do with it being a week day and so everyone is at work....the people who were about did seem kind of chavvy too.Kind of sea side chavvy though, if that makes any sense.

I thought New Plymouth was bad enough, but I forgave it because it really is by the sea and you get that complete Brighton mix of upscale people who like their seaside homes, and then you get the less advantaged people who have grown up by the sea side.However, NP didn't have that hippyness about it like Brighton does.

I had tried to book into the YWCA for the night, before I left New Plymouth, but I didn't hear back on email and couldn't get the blooming telephone in the hostel to work!!Quite unlike me to not have everything booked in advance, perhaps my brain is getting too into being in laid back Ozzie mode....I also know that I do have money and an overdraft, so I don't have to stay in a hostel!!Aaaah, money - it really does help, doesn't it?Also, as much as I like hanging out with people in hostels, I really think I'd rather have a nice comfy room to myself!!Also, everyone in hostels seems to be about 10 years younger than I am.....even though I know I don't look my age, my mentality is still (mostly) that of an adult!!I don't have to explain any more, do I?

The bus terminal and the town or city's information site are always next to each other as well, which really helps when you've just been dropped off and don't have any idea of where you're going!

So, the nice lady at the information desk booked me a room in a nice motel (the last room they had available), that was by the lake.'Doesn't take long to get there', she says so off I trundle with my backpack, shoulder bag, and my suitcase (that weighs about 25 kilos seeing as I've bought a few things since arriving in Auckland).

Doesn't take long to get there I'm sure if you don't have heavy baggage and it isn't a really hot day!!

By the time I got there, I'm sure I must have sweated half my body weight away (again) and really felt like a lobster!!The people at the reception were ever so nice, though I'm sure the redness of my face and my panting heavily must have helped them to realise that I had had a hard time!2 hills to their motel!!Two!!I had to drag my suitcase up the second one with both hands!!

Good thing my room wasn't upstairs, otherwise I think I would have imploded then and there!!

Luckily, the motel people said they would give me a lift in the morning back to the bus station - how very nice of them :)

So, after keeling over in my very large room for an hour or so, I packed up some stuff that I wanted to send home and set off to the Post Office, which was my main concern for the day!I spent almost $44 on a box and International Air Economy post, for 1.6kg of stuff!!Only 1.6kg, dang.I thought I'd be able to get rid of a bit more than that!!My suitcase seems to be filled up with toiletries (slowly going down after being away a month and a bit), 4 pairs of shoes including my walking boots which do weigh quite a bit, and clothes obviously.I did send some of those home so lets hope I don't buy anymore!!I have bought a few clothes - a couple of pairs of little shorts, two pairs of trousers so I don't get too cold on the South Island, a nice blue fleece, a hand made designer skirt (which I fell in love with and had to have it because it's really gorgeous and it was actually quite cheap once converted to GBP), and a pair of sandals.I brought two pairs of shoes with me, that I will probably have to throw away when I leave for home as they really aren't going to last much longer.Especially with the amount of walking around I've been doing.Perhaps if I start wearing my walking boots more often, eh?

After my successful Post Office mission was completed, I had a lovely walk along the river but decided against going on the paddleboat cruise.It seemed like a nice idea, but I was actually really tired from harrying about earlier and I really just felt like vegging out in front of the telly in my room.I had noticed that they had a movie channel at the motel, so I was looking forward to having a bit of a laugh at some rubbish and marvelling at the amount of space I had managed to make in my case!!Hahahahaha!

I also had a bit of a walk around the lake, which was very nice and actually quite big considering the lakes that I'd seen in Australia!!Nothing compared to Canadian lakes though, as my friend April always comments when we go past one in Australia!!

There were two things that put me off slightly about Hamilton, one being that there was a Ute on the street that had lettering on the top of the windscreen that said 'Die now yuppies.'Class.The other was that as I was walking along the riverwalk, admiring the lovely looking houses by the river, there was a hatchback car that had a lovely window adornment.It was basically a hand, that obviously had a little switch so that the driver could raise the middle finger of said hand.Class personified!!

Thank god I only spent one night there!!

Oh, I found an Irish pub, and a London pub called The Londoner too.Yikes.The Londoner had a special dinner on too - roast beef, yorkshire puddings, with horseradish and vegetables!!Not bad for $14 I guess, but it probably would have tasted like kak.

I'm off to Taupo tomorrow, where I'm hopefully going to scream myself stupid by skydiving somewhere.Wish me luck!!