Day 3

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Trip Start Feb 05, 2010 Previous
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  Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand
Monday, February 8, 2010

OK, so I lied.

When Graham just asked
me the time, I said it was 6.15. Which it is in some part of the world, namely
Sydney. But it has bought me a bit of quiet time to update the blog.

Just so I get thoroughly confused I shall finish with Day 2.

Found our lodgings here in Oamaru (pronounced OR MARU these days).

All good, greeted with a cuppa and homemade muffin- oh, I mentioned that
already?



We plan our assault on the penguin colony.

Buy a deli dinner knowing that any eating establishment would be closed by the
time we finish with said penguins.

Arrive at the famous Blue Penguin Breeding Colony and buy our tickets-
expensive! - And then wait.



And while we wait we discover that these tiny blue guys are the very same Fairy
Penguins that we see at Manly. Well, if you are out and about at the right time
and right place. However, here we are and with a great view of their breeding
boxes and launch pad.



While we wait, we see thousands of cormorants fly from the pier to their own
breeding colony down the coast. That is
a spectacle in itself.



More interminable waiting until it is dark. A New Zealand fur seal is also
getting impatient. He staggers ashore and waits with bated breath on the rocks
near the exit ramp for the fairy penguins. Apparently he just 'likes to watch' as
he is not a real predator of the penguins. Yeah, right.



We rejoice that tonight's weather is absolutely fabulous. There is not breeze
to speak of and it is as mild as a Sydney spring evening.

Eventually we hear the approach of the blue penguins.



As every good Aussie will know, thanks to Graham Kennedy, the call of the crow
is 'faaaaaaaark'. What they do not know is that the fairy penguin has two
calls, one for out at sea and another on land. And the one out at sea is
....different. Ask me another time.



So much for the fairy penguin: they come ashore as small platoons of short but
fast timid little guys who seek safety in numbers before making a rush for
their lodgings. Occasionally one or two will go the wrong way.

Elana was almost attacked by the maverick of the group, aka Kenny the Killer Fairy
Penguin who has a taste for human blood.

Kidding.



So Day 3 is looking a bit more like what we expected in the land of the long
white cloud. It would seem that if this is happening on the West Coast too,
that their jaw dropping '12 days without rain'- a virtual drought as
far as they are concerned, will have broken.



As it turns out the rain is light and amounts to no more than a sprinkling. We
head south towards Dunedin appreciating the lovely scenery until half an hour
later I can stand it no more and fall asleep. Good job I’m not driving this
time.

Graham asks if I was interested in seeing the Moeraki
Boulders, of course is the answer and so, equipped with camera and zip lock bag
we descend the beach to see these marbles. Without a true explanation of how
they formed, but a consolation prize of some local sand we resume the trek.

Our main deadline is to make it to the Cadbury factory in
time for our tour. We are slightly disappointed to learn that being Sunday it
is maintenance day, but we do get the longer version of the movie and do see
the chocolate fall. Stand back or you get splashed. We see the place that the
jaffas get made and there is a large jar with the sign 'guess how many Jaffas’
on it. Later we all take a guess- we are given a hint that it is between 500-
800 and closer to the top end of that number. My guess, the second last is a
well calculated 732. Gasp of amazement from our guide and he rewards me with
two mini ‘Dream’ bars (a detestable product, but hey they were a gift) as I am
a mere one number off! Apparently there are 733 in the jar and no one has ever
got that close on one of his tours.

After the conclusion of the tour and taking a photo of
Graham in a vintage Cadbury truck, we wend our way out through the factory shop
(no seconds available there) and at the checkout I ask how many Jaffas are in
the jar. As the lady at the checkout replied that there are 650, I feel kind of
like a kid being told there is no Santa.

Next stop our lodgings. The Bluestone on George looks
formidable as the driveway is while not the steepest street in Dunedin- that
honour goes to Baldwin Street - it must come in at second or third. Glad to
find a parking space at top and we check in. Lovely room- a bit on the small
side for the three of us, but as all the disability studios are taken we will
just have to make do.

A deep spa bath dominated the bathroom. It would be a shame
to move on without making use of that. So I start to fill it with some of the
water which is plainly not being rationed here as it is at home. And fill it.
And fill it. I deduce, using the Archimedes principle, that when I lower myself
in it will not quite over flow, but at least will cover all the jets. And so
turn off the taps. And then when the water proves too hot even for me, turn on
the cold again.

Now even though there is no shortage of water in New
Zealand, I am beginning to feel some guilt about having half the contents of an
Olympic pool to myself.

 What is done is done…and
so now get ready for a lovely soak with book in hand and glasses on. Delicious!
But a spa is far more than a bath, is it not? Looking at all the shiny controls
on the rim I need to decide between ‘left jets, right jets, all jets’ and
decide to go for broke. Next is trying to work out which on e you press for the
spa to start. 
I am right second time and
to my great surprise, the one jet at the end of the tub that is not underwater
is perfectly positioned to shoot a jet of water at full strength straight into
my face. I laugh so heartily at the ridiculousness of this scene, I have to re-enact
it for Graham and Elana’s amusement.
Not so funny is the fact that now, a day
later, my hardcover book by the Dalai Lama is so warped it won’t close. But in
his cover photo he seems to be smiling a tad harder than before.

We can recommend the drive to Lanarch Castle on the Otago
peninsular for gorgeous views. Along and winding road meant that once there, although
minutes too late to do the self guided tour through the castle, we can enjoy
the gardens. This means that Graham is going to miss his tour of the Speight brewery
this evening, but he accepts this with good grace.

And we continue onward around the peninsular, see a sheep
grazing in a tree- no photo, unfortunately, and then back to Dunedin.

Here we discover that this is the place in New Zealand where
you turn the clock back 40 years. It is Sunday night and we wander around
looking for a place to eat. The streets are virtually dead, and the only eating
houses on George St appear to be laminex table places. Not that we wanted
anything more, but our choice of a place called ‘Chopsticks 101’ was appalling.
There were lots of laughs about the dishes we chose which made up for the disastrous
food.

 

  

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