The Downs
Up through the park, past the hospital and over at the roundabout.
I crossed the road, walking towards the water tower. I had planned to head to Ladies Mile and walk the length of it before turning right and making my way to The Gulley. For some unknown reason, I had the urge to go a different way, off the beaten path. I crossed back over the road, passing the old party spot. I headed into the undergrowth.
A winding path led me through the trees and bushes, spitting me out in a quiet place, hidden from the city around me. To my left was a small ridge in the ground, which we used as a windbreak during our barbeques. Passing through a large gap in the bushes, I emerged onto Ladies Mile.
I crossed between the caravans and stepped out into the bright sun. Under the sparse boulevard, I stopped and sat with my back up against one of the trees. At Sea Walls, the setting sun cast long, reaching shadows of passing cars on the grass ahead.
