South Island New Zealand - down the East Coast to Dunedin

Saturday, February 13

After a sumptuous breakfast, we leave the beautiful home stay quite early this morning.

Thanks to our hostess' directions, we get around Christchurch very easily and soon find ourselves on the coastal road heading South.

It is a very good road and we're making good progress.

When we come into Oamaru, we stop for a picnic lunch and a bit of a wander around the shops in the old arcades and warehouses of the historic district.

Continuing down the coast, we eventually come to the turnoff that takes us to the famous Moeraki Boulders.

The Moeraki Boulders are a group of very large spherical “stones” on Koekohe Beach near Moeraki on New Zealand’s Otago coast. These boulders are actually concretions that have been exposed through shoreline erosion from coastal cliffs that back the beach. The Boulders are one of the most fascinating and popular attractions on the South Island.
They originally formed in ancient sea floor sediments around 60 million years ago.

From there, we continue on our way to Dunedin. Mary's daughter Kirsten has kindly offered to host us.

It's always good to be staying with some locals.

We're certainly having an interesting time with Kirsten and her children Kiran and Natalya and young Tiffany who also lives there, talking long into the night.

Sunday, February 14

Kirsten and I are the first ones up and about. Rather than going to church, Kirsten decides to take me to the dog beach with little Ruby.

We're having a great time chatting away and the dog beach makes me look forward to taking my own babies to the beach again.

In the afternoon, Kirsten takes the kids and myself for a drive in my car. 

When we get to the lookout on Signal Hill, I notice that my camera is suffering some health issues. It just won't switch on, let alone take pictures.

I have to resort taking photos with the phone. With the sun on the little screen, I can't really see what I'm doing and just point and shoot. It's a little while before I notice that the silly thing is reversed and has been taking bad selfies.

We have a look at the steepest street, but don't attempt driving up it in my hire car.

And before long, it's ice cream time. The ice cream parlour is very famous and the queue is incredibly long. Valentine's day probably contributes to the long queue too.

By the way, the ice cream in my left hand belongs to Kirsten who is taking the photo.

The interesting mural below is just down the road.

In our travels, we see lots of beautiful buildings like the railway station above.

Dunedin is at the head of Otago Harbour and has a population of 127,500.  It's known for its Scottish and Maori heritage, Victorian and Edwardian architecture and a large student population. Hiking and cycling trails crisscross the dramatic landscape of the adjoining Otago Peninsula, home to colonies of albatrosses, sea lions and rare yellow-eyed penguins.  

Kirsten drives out onto the peninsula on the harbour side and up to the entrance of Larnach Castle and the back down along the ridge. What a fabulous guided tour!

We have another evening in the fold of the family, but tomorrow being school day, we're not letting it get too late.

South Island New Zealand - to Akaroa on the East Coast

Thursday, February 11

This morning we leave beautiful Hanmer Springs and start driving towards Christchurch.

I don't feel I want to hang around in Christchurch, so I'm heading directly towards Akaroa.

The drive is absolutely magical.

In the middle of the afternoon, we finally arrive in this gorgeous town.......not in the interesting blue vehicle, but in the ordinary little silver one.

Having had very patchy internet access, booking accommodation ahead has been a bit impossible, so now we have to go to the Info Center to book what we're told is the last room in town for $290!
Still, beggars can't be choosers. Although at that rate we could very quickly become real beggars.

It is very huge and very beautiful, of course, but to get the best out of it one would have to stay quite a few days. I'd definitely be a beggar then.

We get some washing going to make use of the perfectly good laundry and wander into town for a bit of a look and to get some supplies.

Akaroa is a very beautiful place and will immediately be put on the list of 'visit again' places. Only next time perhaps in the off-season.




Friday, February 12

Up early as usual, I take some photos from our balcony.
But we soon have breakfast, pack up and go to town.

I'm booked to go on a 'swim with the dolphins' cruise. Since we have to wait a little while, we have another little look around.

This chap catches my eye, of course.

To swim with the dolphins, I have to wear a full wet suit - complete with booties. It is a pretty hot day and while on board ship, it gets terribly uncomfortable all dressed up in rubber.

Nevertheless, the harbour cruise is very beautiful. We do eventually see some of the lovely little dolphins and a couple of times, they lower the steps, so we can all get into the water without frightening the dolphins by making a big splash.

The crew mention that the dolphins are inquisitive and will come to investigate any sounds that we might make, so I get into the water and start to hum quietly.
Unfortunately, there are idiots wherever you go, like all those hooligans who translate the word sound into racket and deafening noise.

Do we get to actually swim with dolphins? Of course not, the poor animals get the fright of their lives and flee the scene.

Never mind, I got a glimpse of them from the boat and I enjoy being in the water for a while. Pity about that huge wet suit though. Being quite buoyant by nature, I am now so extra buoyant that I can't get my legs down. It's quite hilarious.

Hector's dolphin is the best-known of the four dolphins in the genus Cephalorhynchus and is the only endemic cetacean to New Zealand. At approximately 1.4 m in length, it is one of the smallest cetaceans.

The pictures below are from the internet, seeing I don't have any of my own.

Soon after we come back from the cruise, we travel on to a place called Little River, where I have managed to get a night's accommodation at a farmstay.

This is a very idyllic place and definitely one to put on my list for another time.

Not surprisingly, I sleep like a log tonight.