Walking to work.....

I walked to work this morning. Google Maps indicated the best foot-route was 9.7kms from my place to Albany. That's 1km shorter than by car because feet can go where cars can't. 

When I set off, it was sunny and looked benign enough. About 10 minutes later a big grey thing crawled over the hill to the north of me and rained heavily. No problem. I've learned not to trust

 Auckland sunshine any further than I can throw an elephant wearing a necklace of grand pianos. I had an umbrella.  

A few minutes later, another grey thing swept over me. And another. And another.......and so on. The wind came along for the ride - big time - as I crossed the Northern Motorway on the bridge at Sunset Road and walked down past the Constellation busway station through the Park & Ride. 

Walking up Apollo Road, the sun came out but the wind was coming from all directions as it made its way through the various grey boxes in the Apollo business park. 

Heading down Triton Road, the wind blew my hat off and a car drove over it. No problem. The hat was already wet anyway. The weather at the Albany end of my walk felt very much like a stroll through Tawa or Newlands  in the Wellington area. Great open hill faces full of fresh, new aluminium and glass buildings and few trees, surrounded by mushy wet lawns that left mud clinging to one's shoes when you stepped out of the grass.  

It was a great walk - especially stomping up steep Easton Park to Manuka Road. Bearing the weather in  mind I felt slightly heroic for making the effort. Of course having left the car at home, I had to walk home as well. The air was cooler, but it didn't rain on the return leg.  

I think I'll do it again tomorrow.