We drove along the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island and stopped at the historic town of Oamaru with its Victorian architecture. The Oamaru stone is predominately calcium carbonate (limestone); therefore, white stone. Various shops were along one road I walked and one had a working local sculptor. All signage indicated he wanted no interruptions, so I stood and watched him work. When others left, he stopped working and talked at length! No photos were allowed … yet his name is Ian Andersen for anyone interested in checking his work. The drive was pretty, green and I would have loved a walk!

After lunch, we continued down the road with a stop at the Moeraki Boulders. These are large, oddly spherically-shaped stones scattered across the beach. Māori legend: the boulders started forming 60 million years ago through ancient sea floor sediments. The largest boulder is estimated to have taken 4 million years to form. With shoreline erosion from coastal cliffs, these boulders, or concretions, are now more exposed.

We arrived in Dunedin with its hills and cliffs and unlimited coastal views, offering Scottish influences with Victorian style, thus known as the “Edinburgh of the South”. Do you know where “the steepest road in the world” happens to be located? New Zealand’s Baldwin Street in Dunedin!

During the afternoon, I walked an area near our hotel. It is definitely a college town with plenty of fast-food places and pubs. The weather was cold as I aimed for streets with no steep uphills or downhills and out of the wind. I had fun then trying to figure how to get back to my hotel, Distinction. By the way, this Distinction hotel is quite distinct. It is the first hotel, in all my travels, with each hotel room having a washer and dryer in the room! Convenience for sure … and they provide the detergent!

The next day we explored Dunedin and drove to New Zealand’s only castle, Larnach Castle. This Scottish structure was built during the 19th century gold rush for a financier and politician, Larnach in 1871. On our tour through the castle, I was impressed with how ahead-of-his-time, William Larnach was with the construction of his “family home”. The open verandas were eventually glassed in with French glass since the weather and wind was more than expected. He did have double-glazed windows, a billiards room built above the kitchen, a beautiful hanging, or floating, stairway, methane from effluent to light the lights, and beautiful interior work throughout. It took 200 workmen to construct the place in 3 years and gifted craftsmen 12 years to complete the interior design. 

Now the castle has been in the Parker Trust, for the last 57 years. Prior to that and after Larnach’s possession, the government had it as a mental institution, then it was a holiday home for nuns, then army barracks, and the family home was finally purchased by the Parkers. Interestingly enough, they put their $500 deposit down before another hopeful buyer who had plans to demolish the place. It is fortunate this place has been maintained as it is beautiful. I enjoyed jalapeño, garlic scone and earl grey tea … at my usual daily tea time!

The rain did arrive and so popping up to the brewery for a tour and dinner sounds like a good way to finish this day. Penguin tours were cancelled, but I am looking forward to Milford Sound. There we will board a boat, and have an overnight in the middle of the sound. My posts now return to their usual schedule of 2 per week …

Other scenery on the road today: