After three days of rain, woke Wednesday to SUNSHINE.
Skipped my morning run, opting for an afternoon harbor trek in nearby Oamaru. Easy coastal drive on New Zealand’s Highway 1. Cool morning temps. Rural, flat. No traffic, landscape void of the Island’s Southern Alps.
right, Moeraki Boulders. left, Trotters Gorge. 1030am – how ‘bout both?
One hour rainforest jaunt toward the Gorge. After multiple days in ‘civilization’, GREAT to be outside again & hiking. Sounds of cicada, giant ferns wet with moisture – LOVE LOVED this morning. Cave explored, then rental car’d another 2 miles north to the Boulders. $5 in an ‘honest’ jar, then descended on Koekohe Beach using stairs created by the gift shop.
The Moeraki Boulders are unusually large and spherical boulders lying along a stretch of Koekohe Beach on the wave-cut Otago coast of New Zealand between Moeraki and Hampden. They occur scattered either as isolated or clusters of boulders within a stretch of beach where they have been protected in a scientific reserve.
Local Māori legends explained the boulders as the remains of eel baskets, calabashes, and kumara washed ashore from the wreck of Arai-te-uru, a large sailing canoe.
Wonder of nature. Like giant fossilized sea turtle eggs, pushed up/eroded from the sand. Precisely spherical, randomly dropped/isolated on NZ’s Pacific shore. Walked an hour up & down the beach – enjoying the ocean breeze, soaking up Vitamin D.
whatta sunrise – WOW!
Lunch & an ice cream bar, then road-warrior’d 45 minutes further to Oamaru.
Hotel check-in, harbour-walked past old rotting bridges covered with sea birds – to tonite’s adventure destination: Oamaru’s Blue Penguin Colony. Purchased our VIP tickets (worth every dime) – laced up/got my afternoon run on.
Penguin Crossing sign (don’t see THAT every day), then switchback’d UP, UP, UP. Climbed Cape Wanbrow Reserve, trail-ran high above Oamaru – WOW views of the mighty Pacific below. Last long run before Saturday’s Kirikiriroa Marathon.
Dusk. Nature guides kept eyes on the ocean while ‘paying customers’ quietly huddled in a small outdoor amphitheatre (unfortunately, no pics allowed). Pods of 6, 10, 15 small penguins banded together, beached, then waddled uphill past our premium seats. Man-made boxes constructed on shore would act as the birds’ evening home – returning back to the ocean early pre-dawn. WOW WOW WOW!
South Island, super sad to say goodbye. Glaciers, waterfalls, rainforest. Jetboated the Waimakariri, cruised Doubtful Sound, climbed to the top of Larnach Castle & witnessed magic – the world’s smallest penguins returning home after day-fishing the Pacific.
Next up: Hamilton, on New Zealand’s tropical North.
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- hiking & caving
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- wonder of nature
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- don’t see THIS every day 🙂
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- Penguin Capital of New Zealand
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- pods of 6, 10, 15 small penguins banded together, beached, then waddled uphill past our premium seats
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- Cape Wanbrow Reserve
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- Suhler Hütte?
Koekohe Beach, NZ
A neurotic is a man who builds a castle in the air. A psychotic is the man who lives in it.
Rain Day #3 – luckily, most of today’s agenda was planned indoors. Olveston Historic Home, followed by a visit to Larnach Castle — New Zealand’s only castle — built high atop the Otago Peninsula, 35 minutes outside Dunedin.
Built in 1906, Olveston is one of NZ’s oldest homes. Knowledgeable guides retold the family’s story & shared interesting tidbits ‘bout turn-of-century New Zealand. Most of the rooms still furnished with the family’s original belongings – like going back in time. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed on the hour-15 minute tour. Walked the property’s small English garden. Peaceful morning start.
From Olveston, travelled ’round Otago Harbour, past Pukehiki & Portobello. Highcliff to Camp Road, short 10 minute wooded walk to Larnach Castle. 3 flights of ornate rooms, to the top of Castle. Adorned with a flag, view of the Harbour – WOW whatta view.
As much as I appreciated the Castle, it’s my slow rainy-day stroll thru the Garden [with friend Dawn] I’ll long remember. Patterned Garden, Lost Rock Garden, the Serpentine Walk, the Rain Forest, South Seas Garden, the Alice Lawn, the Laburnum Arch and Green Room. A unique collection [of gardens] cultivated with New Zealand native plants, plants of the Southern Hemisphere. Much LOVED!
Tomorrow, short hour-half drive to Oamaru – Moeraki Boulders in the a.m., PENGUINS at dusk!
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- one of NZ’s oldest homes
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- 10-minute wooded walk to the Castle
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- New Zealand’s only castle
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- unique collection of gardens, cultivated with New Zealand native plants
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- Patterned Garden
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- the Alice Lawn
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- NZ flag waving BIG & proud
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- high atop the Otago Peninsula
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- South Seas Garden
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- today’s WOW shot — whatta view!
Larnach Castle, NZ
The Story of William Larnach
William James Mudie Larnach, of Scottish descent, was born in 1833 in New South Wales, Australia. His banking career began in Melbourne then followed the gold rush to the Australian goldfields where he was manager of the Bank of New South Wales at Ararat. His bank was a tent and his equipment consisted of dogs, a gun, and strong boxes.
Gold was discovered in Otago, New Zealand, in the 1860’s. Larnach was offered the position of manager of the Bank of Otago in Dunedin, which serviced the extensive goldfields. He sailed for Dunedin in 1867.
Larnach’s brillant career encompassed his merchant empire Guthrie and Larnach, banking, shipping, farming, landholding, politics and… speculation. He travelled extensively and was a cabinet minister in the New Zealand Government, holding various portfolios, over a period of twenty-five years.
Larnach was married three times and had six children. He was pre-deceased by his first two wives and his eldest daughter, Kate.
He took his own life in the New Zealand Parliament Buildings in 1898.
Oompa Loompa doompadee doo
I’ve got another puzzle for you
Oompa Loompa doompadah dee
If you are wise you’ll listen to me
Never got to meet Willy Wonka – but I did get my ‘Augustus Gloop’ on at Cadbury’s Chocolate Factory.
Early morning start. 9 mile trek on Frankton Track, mix of trail & bike path, east alongside Lake Wakatipu. Shower, apartment check-out, last day in Queenstown – goodbyes to my fave New Zealand town. 3 ½ hour drive, south & far far east today. After a half-week shouldering NZ’s Tasman Sea, would spend the next three days bumped up against the vast Pacific.
Arrived in South Island’s 2nd largest city, Dunedin, early afternoon. First hotel stay since Auckland. Grabbed a map & a rain jacket – CHOCOLATE! Walked past high steeple churches & historic city buildings in Dunedin Central ‘the Octagon’, then continued south toward the water, past Anzac Square to Cadbury World on Cumberland Street.
2 large lumbering storage tanks invade the landscape – one white, one purple, ‘Cadbury’ emblazoned in script. Tour ticket purchased, quick pass thru the factory museum, iconic Cadbury bunny photo shot. Sadly no other pics to share. Cell phones, purses, backpacks all confiscated before eyeing the company’s chocolate making process. No joking with Chocolatiers – take their business mighty seriously.
[Gotta/hafta/must sneak out an everlasting gobstopper (remember creepy Slugworth?) — another Wonka reference 🙂 ]
Inside, pulled a lever, filled my cup with liquid chocolate. How much is too much? Anything more than half a cup…live & learn. Heart racing, sugar-shook remainder of the tour. Oh to be a kid again. Went home with a satchel of marshmallow candy bars.
Return walked thru Dunedin’s historic Railway Station in Anzac Square. Train love.
Inclement weather, one more day. Boardwalk strolled on St Clair Beach, site of the South Island Surf Championships. Stormy day, HUGE waves. Rain or shine – vacation continues. Tomorrow’s quest? To the top of Larnachs Castle!
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- Ford Model A: one of Cadbury’s original delivery vehicles
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- Chocolate Lovers dream day
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- St Paul’s Cathedral
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- Knox Church, George Street
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- Anzac Square
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- Dunedin Railway Station
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- stormy day, HUGE waves
St Clair Beach
