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Dunedin( em alone)
Just a random comment before i go on,the public toilets seemed to be getting more and more swish the further south i go.And there also seems to be a lot of Americans about at the mo....doing as they do best being loud...though in the most part they are very polite and friendly.
Arrived at the railway station, and looking at the map it seemed quite far from the hostel, but being proud and stubborn i decided i would walk it, it would be fine( i'm only talking a kilometre tops, but with the pack believe me thats a long way). I headed in the direction of the city centre, and decided to break the walk up !!!! by popping in the info centre on the way, i had to go anyway( Sam is right those places really are becoming our second home) Got some info on Dunedin bus tours and stewart island to perouse over.
Headed for the hostel realising which ever way i went it was basically up quite a steep hill!! b***** my backpack and everything felt so heavy by that stage( i do seem to have a ridiculous amount now). When arrived i was a right state, sweaty and horrible, the lady was really nice and there was two Jack russles too. The dorm room was also so spacious. A lovely old building ( once the bishops property), quite grand with lovely bathrooms and wooden floors.Named Hogwarts. I sat and relaxed perousing the leaflets... i decided i couldn't be bothered with rushing about so would stay for two nights and try and do stewart island in one( i'm so deluded sometimes ...actually more than sometimes!!!) .
Off to the 'i site' again becoming a bit of a habit now. Spoke to nice young (i sound like an old woman, he was probably a little older than me but sometimes i feel i'm about 50....will need a rocking chair and blanket soon!!!) chap in there and basically worked out i was gonna have to have two nights( in stewart island) which is much better really anyway. Sorted it all out buses, ferries, accomodation then bus to Te anau and a bus tour round Dunedin the next day...lubbly jubbly ...i don't think my card liked it much though ...$280 later. Had a relatively lazy afternoon and caught up on some internet.
Next day had to go on the hunt for an adaptor as my phone had died( unfortunately cos we were sharing so much stuff we couldn't just chop it all in half). So eventually found one, sorted the phone out and had some food. Then headed to get the bus tour. Up the top on the double decker for a good view.
Was informed that Dunedin is the gaelic( later found out maybe its celtic...one or the other anyway) name for Edinburgh. The city founded by Scots,with a lot of scottish influence, statues and place names etc. The City is also the City of Firsts. The first phone call in New Zealand was made there, the first university was built there and is still going strong, also the first city to officially have a council/government. We were taken to see many of the beautiful old buildings. The first church of Otago was very impressive one of the most Gothic style churches in the world apparently; very beautiful with a slightly eery feel to it. The grand looking railway station( in the photo), speights brewery, the old boys school; taught many a famous New Zealander.There is also a Cadburys Factory which is the first chocolate factory of New Zealand. Also caught a glimpse of the botanical gardens that looked very lush. As we came back to the octagon (the city centre), one of the last buildings, was a pretty building, now home to a local theatre company.
The ' piece de resistaunce' though was the steepest street in the world!!!( in the guiness book of records) Baldwin Street, it is ridiculously steep. In there annual summer festival, they have a timed race, to see who can be the fastest person to go up and back on foot. Unfortunately!!!! hahaha, we didn't have time to stop and walk up it!!
Had a bit of a stroll around the city and a leisurely coffee, then back home and met Diane again, had forgotten she would be there. We decided to go out for a drink,(though not late as had to be up at 6!!! for the bus and ferry). The lady at the hostel had suggeste a place to Diane, The Arc, a chilled plce with sofa that had live music, sounded good so off we toddled.
Stumpled across it....walked in and no joke we were the only ones in there, bar the sligtly scary looking bar woman/girl. What the monkeys, this is a city and a big student place to, where the hell was everyone!! Anyhow we ordered a jug of Arc beer or sumit for $6 so you can't complain, was pretty tasty too. Sat on the sofa and chilled chatting with Diane, She is a little older than me and very honest so was good talking to her, she made me see things more clearly about life in general. Anyhow less of the deep and meaningful cr*p. We couldn't believe it the barmaid started hoovering and turning lights off etc...so we got the hint...and drank up. It was only sodding half nine!!!!
We decided the surely the whole city can't be like this so headed for some more bars. Found a nice cosy small bar with bout ten people in it....extreme improvement, Named Di lusso( as we noticed on way out) Ordered some more beer, then i got id'd b***** didn't hav eany as, lost my driving licence in the wallet in oz and my passport was packed at bottom and my pack in the hostel!!! Luckily, di came to the rescue and sugeested the fact that i might have credit card! phew though not technically id, the lady took it.
Sat down in comfort with a nice Montieths golden beer, a young Austrian guy( there i go again with the young who the bloody hell do i think i am, he is actually same age as me) came and sat with us and chatted. A nice chap, pretty good looking to but ishouldn't be looking!!! Anyway i think he liked Diane. Good chatting with him, we all shared travelling stories, had a good laugh. Left quite early all together heading in same direction, we then lost the Austrian who went to chat to some random people sattin there camper on the side of the road!!!
Off to bed with some water felt a little tipsy( definetely turning into a light weight, atleast it will be cheaper i guess). Up early felt surprisingly bright and breezy. Off to Stewart Island.....
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