Corstorphine House In Dunedin

... to be the weekend of the Undy 500. This is a very popular student car rally from Christchurch to Dunedin held every year. We were told on arrival that 2008's rally had been officially cancelled after the 2006 and 2007 events “descended into chaos”. Now this is the kind of place I like to spend my weekends. The Friday night we arrived, according to the paper the following morning, 'Five hundred students set fires, threw bottles at riot police and ripped out ...

... rather than in Conservation centres or zoos was unbelievable. These were hunted to near extinction but are slowly recovering and when we visited there were plenty of little pups playing in the rock pools.

From here it was a short but cold and windy walk to see the penguins and sea lions on another beach. Passing through the gate it was about 30 seconds before we got to see a penguin who happily stood 5 metres away from us ...

The girls had to be back in Christchurch with the rental car today so Kira and I said goodbye to them and decided to try and hitchhike to Queenstown. Apparently NZ is good for hitchhiking, I had picked up a few people on my way around in the van as had Kira so now it was time for the universe to repay our kindness with a ride to Queenstown..

... out. The next day, I took a tour of a merchant's home called Olveston. I could not take photos inside, but the house was chock full of things brought back from their travels in the 1800's. The family had two children, a boy which died childless and a daughter who never married. When the daughter died in the 1950's, she left the house to the town, contents and all. since the weather was improved, we drove to Tunnel Beach. It is a ...

... também famosa pela vida selvagem, aqui podem-se encontrar albatrozes, pinguins, focas, e leões marinhos, tudo numa área acessível e relativamente pequena. Decidimos ficar no parque de caravanas de Portobello, mais ou menos a meio caminho da ponta norte da península, a sinuosa estrada costeira é um espectáculo, mas também pode ser perigosa... com paisagens tão belas é difícil manter-nos atentos à estrada, e o mar está mesmo ali ao lado. Quando chegámos ainda tivémos ...

We have traveled south now to Dunedin. Dunedin is the old Celtic word for Edinburgh and if any of you have ever been to Edinburgh the similarities are striking. In fact, the city was laid out on the Edinburgh city plan. This part of New Zealand is filled with Scottish influence cities like Duntroon and Invercargill. The country side is also similar with mostly open hilly ( very extremely hilly) terrain that is covered ...

... tonight, so we hit Dunedin with full force. We hit a 70's bar, a Drum & Bass club, a traditional style pub and a Sports Bar. It was at the Sports Bar that we discovered they were showing the Arsenal v Man Utd game at 1.45am. Me & Tom (from Stoke) decided this was our final resting place and stayed here until 4am whilst everyone else went back to the hotel at about 3. When we arrived back at the hotel, we hung around the Bar & TV room until about 5am before finally crashing.

... rowing, as that's what's popular over here. so far, NZ has won gold medals in women's rowing and shotput, a silver and a bronze in fast track cycling, a bronze in the men's triathalon, and two bronzes in men's rowing. i have been watching it as much as i can...i love it! so inspiring! take care for now, and i will most likely post again in another month's time unless something major in my plans change. love you love you love you. i think of you all everyday. miss you. *kate

Not too much to report since the last entry but I'll update you all anyway! Horse riding last Friday afternoon was great fun and most definitely the best way to get right out there without cars or walking! There were a few who had never riden horses and provided much humor for some of us (including lots of screaming and one falling off - glad that wasn't me!) and then a few "jolly old hunters" (I'm not kidding) who were more than experienced ...

... understands me, I'm quirky, I'm QUIRKY, dammit, why is no-one being interested in how damned unusual I am?" either of us had ever seen. His family were doing an excellent job of ignoring him and hoping he'd grow up. Jacob feels qualified to comment in such a judgmental and superior fashion as he was once - there are those of you who will remember - just such a pain-in-the-**** teenager. So, hopefully Mr. Harmonica Bloke will also turn into a similarly fine, well-rounded ...