BTDU

Today was to be our 1st full day in Hamilton and, once again, the weather didn’t disappoint 😎

Hamilton has an interesting backstory, formed, as it was, during the conflict between the Maori inhabitants and the British colonialists…

It now has a population of c.185,000 and has grown into one of NZ’s 5 cities with much to offer both its local communities and travellers alike😊

My cousin Gail has been a fully fledged Zumba instructor for over 12 years and today would be the 1st class after the summer break, so Julie and I donned our best outfits and set off for the 9.30 am class 🕺🏽💃🏽

Zumba has become a worldwide fitness phenomenon and Hamilton itself offers many places to participate in this Latin American based dancercise…

However, we were off to the best class in town…😉

….and it didn’t disappoint, with Gail leading 39 females, plus the token male, through the routines…

The 45 minutes shot by in a flash and it was obvious, judging by the smiles and good humour (and not forgetting how warmly Julie and I were welcomed), that the whole class were glad to be back to their thrice weekly routine…as was Gail😉

What surprises me about these classes is why more men don’t take part🤔

There are huge health benefits and it’s fun, so c’mon all you gym bunnies, give it a shot…you might be surprised how much this could add to your overall fitness..

(NB – Personal Disclaimer: I receive no commission from the Zumba folk…and other dance based classes are available…😉)

Next stop was a coffee with a dozen of the ladies at a splendid Café on the banks of the fast flowing Waikato river…

En route we were treated to more examples of the high quality street art that is a feature of NZ urban life and rightly celebrated, including, in Hamilton/Kirikiriroa itself, an annual festival that raises the profile of this art form higher…

One of our many positive discoveries here has been the high quality of food on offer, and none more so than the humble pie, arguably New Zealand’s favorite “fast food”…

…so we had to get our daily fix, from a district that rang a bell..

Returning to Gail and Ian’s home for lunch with our fare it’s easy to see why, with the temperature soaring, that we chose to spend the rest of the day enjoying the peaceful setting of their mature garden..

One of the most captivating aspects of their “garden” is that, beyond the formal part, you are lead seamlessly into the gully, a steeply sided, jungle-like gorge with a creek at the bottom.

Hamilton has many such gully systems and they are richly prized by home owners😊

Maintenance of their gully, usually using a large machete!, falls squarely on Ian’s capable shoulders; if you look closely, you can see the path down to his “Man Cave” where much needed R&R takes place..🏋🏽‍♂️🥂😉

Dividing the formal garden from the gully is a border full of the largest examples of Globe Agapanthus we have ever seen😊

Later that afternoon Ian’s fishing buddies, Kiwis Mike & Carol plus pooch, dropped in for a wee visit, where I was particularly pleased to find out that Mike’s other passion was cycling 🙂

Despite the inevitable MTB v Roadies debate, the tech chat soon turned to the distinctive beer and wine coolers that Mike and Gail were respectively using; hugely efficient, this is a product developed in NZ and now sold worldwide 🇳🇿😊

Fortunately they have a UK based outlet too…. yay!

A couple of hours later Ian showed us why he is aka The BBQ King and Gail demo’d again why she is aka The Queen of Salads and Desserts….not to mention quaffing Sav😉🥂

After such a relaxing day, it was unsurprising that we both had to try out Ian’s favourite place in the garden and enjoy, once again, the huge skies that NZ seems to specialize in…

…and then the sunset to round off the last day of January 😊