Queenstown to Dunedin
We
are leaving Queenstown today and heading to Dunedin at the suggestion
of our friend Christine's sister, Keri, who we met in town for coffee
and info. We headed out of town and up into the hills, stopping at a
lookout point just before the pass to leave this area. Looking back
you see the Remarkables, snow-capped and very distinctive mountains,
on the other side of the valley.
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Wednesday 23rd May 2012
We
stopped at Arrowtown, more of a village really. It has a small main
street, with perfectly restored or retained wooden buildings from the
early twentieth century.
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Very touristy, but pretty nonetheless in a beautiful setting by a river, where panning for gold was lucrative for some years.
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Very touristy, but pretty nonetheless in a beautiful setting by a river, where panning for gold was lucrative for some years.
Detail
of the Day: Everywhere we go we meet our usual bride and
groom, having their photos taken in a picturesque setting, and
Arrowtown is no exception.
We
arrived in Dunedin as the sun was setting. The camp site is on the
edge of town with the sea just over the dune and of course is much
warmer than the mountains inland, so a welcome warm night in the van
after cooking up our chops in the camp kitchen.
Otago
Pennisula, Dunedin
Thursday
24th May 2012
We
went to Allens Beach in the hope of seeing Penguins, but no luck. However, we had this beautiful beach almost to ourselves and were
rewarded by crashing surf and mother and pup fur seals basking on the
beach.
We watched them from a discreet distance for ages. John had to intervene when an elderly man got too close and was
charged by the mother – he shouted and clapped to distract her
whilst the man escaped. They are big and fat but can really move when
they want to.
We
headed back to Dunedin through a dizzying sunset – these photos have not been re-mastered, digitally altered or tampered with in any way!
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Dunedin to Te Anau
Friday 25th
May 2012
We are in-between these times, so we got a great rate from our lovely host Charlene, and hardly anyone else was there, Plus, there is a big alpine style lodge with a kitchen and lounge with a great big log fire to toast yourself in front of – heaven.
Te
Anau to Milford Sound
Saturday 26th
May 2012
Towards the end of the journey you go through a long rock tunnel and come out to the valley proper leading down to the coast – a feat of engineering in itself. This is where we first saw the Fantail birds who do exactly what their name describes! Milford Harbour is like the entrance to a Viking fiord or Scottish loch, all foggy grey mysteriousness, and was one of the only safe access points inland from the sea – thus the tunnel.
On the way back, however, it closed in and we were glad of the welcoming log fire, where we ate, drank and exchanged travel lies of our day with our fellow guests, and of course Charlene.
Sunday
27th May 2012
A
quiet day recovering from yesterday's long trip. Even us exotic
travellers have to do the laundry, research where we go next and get
it booked, clean the van, write the blog, talk to our fellow guests,
(Maire, Tony and Maria from Christchurch), drink at the Moose pub,
cook dinner and collapse in front of the fire with a glass of Otago
wine, although we put the feeling of intoxication down to the clean
air.
Te
Anau to Queenstown
Woke
up to rain and set off back to Queenstown, as tomorrow we head off
for the west coast and the glaciers!
Milford Sound |
Milford Sound |
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