DUNEDIN (Ōtepoti)

 I've been nagged by that old schoolteacher (very soon to be even older) to post on the Dunedin trip. It seems that the Robert-grade post earlier wasn't enough for him. I think he just wants more words to critique for grammtical errors.*

Oh well - best to look after the aged I guess.

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I've been to Dunedin quite a few times over the years but these were work-related trips attending conferences, meetings, wine tastings and dinners so invariably only stayed a night and never got out of the inner city. The greater area was unknown to me and The Old Girl had never been.

We were pleasantly surprised as the city, the harbour and surrounding beaches, bays and countryside offered way more than we were expecting. It is a beautiful place. The nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings haven't been torn down by greedy developers or knocked down by earthquakes as has happened in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch so there is a sense of place and history relatively unmarred by glass and concrete monstrosities.

Dunedin

We spent 3 days and nights in Dunedin and, while not behaving like mad tourists, had a good look around and spent some time at some of the features like:

Larnach Castle.

I wasn't that enthusiastic to visit Larnach Castle thinking it a tourist trap and over-hyped but Mike recommended it and he was right. This is a great house and worthy of respect. It's a bit like the mansions we've visited in Canada, Scotland and England and of course is a wonderful backdrop for local history.

The drive to Larnach and the other places took us around the magnificent harbour. I was unaware how striking and beautiful this is kind of like a cross between the Picton Sounds and Whangarei harbour.

Orokonui Ecosanctuary.

This is a treasure being a 307 hectare biodiversity sanctuary only a few kilometres from the city. It's a coastal forest that is home to many threatened species. We saw and were close to kaka, korimako,  takehe, tui, kakaruai, kereru, titipounamu, pipipi, piwakawaka, miromiro, riroriro, tauhou and pīpīwharauroa. We also saw tuatara and Otago skink. Marvellous. Several of the more common birds we see at The Heads but, with the sanctuary and feeding stations by the tracks this was an opportunity to see them up real close.

Royal Albatross Centre.

This, like the Eco centre was very well maintained and staffed by enthusiastic and dedicated people who willingly share their knowledge. It's very impressive and, at the end of the peninsular set on the cliffs where the albatross nest and take off and land because of the high winds, is dramatic and wildly beautiful. I thoroughly recommend a visit.

 I'll leave it there but for Robert, here's a picture of the magnificent First Church right in the city centre.

It's a Presbyterian church so he'll probably go to hell for looking at it but hey! He'll keep Richard company down there.

We dressed warm for Dunedin which was just as well as it was cold in the evenings when walking to eating places. I wore my merino clothing and The Old Girl wore her leather jacket. She loves her leather jacket.

* I deliberately put in a spelling error. I wonder if he spots it?