On Sunday we packed our bags and headed outside the city of Dunedin for a drive along the Otago Peninsula which juts out into the Pacific. The peninsula is famous for its wildlife such as rare penguins and sealions. Along the way we made our way inland to visit Lanarch Castle, New Zealand's only castle but on seeing the steep entry price we promptly U-turned, as did many others! We drove along to the furthest accessible point on the peninsula which is home to a colony of Royal Albatrosses and affords views over Otago Harbour. A visit to the peninsula is a highly recommended thing do to here but we didn't find it particularly inspiring so we didn't hang around too long.... we have been a bit spoilt for wildlife and scenery in the last 6 months and are probably just getting a bit snobby about what we think is good!
We drove back to the city and then headed 3 hours north-east towards the small township of Omarama, a pleasant base from which to visit Mt Cook National Park. We stopped in Moeraki, a small fishing village to see the strangely
spherical boulders along the beach (apparently you require a Phd in Geology to understand how they are formed!). We then headed around the bay to Moeraki harbour for a picnic (which we timed very nicely in between rain showers). Driving further north we stopped and strolled aroung the pretty and quiet Victorian town of
Omaru which is full of curiosity shops and antique shops. It was like taking a step back in time! We cut inland and drove to our destination, a small farmstay located just outside the township of Omarama. As we passed through the town we saw a peculiar sight; on the front lawn of the pub were several large displays of dead animals. We went to investigate and got chatting with one of the locals who explained they had just had their annual 'Fur and Feathers' hunting competition.
Apparently teams of hunters get together and pull out of a hat whether they are hunting 'furs' (goats, pigs and wallabies) or 'feathers' (just about anything that flies) or both. They then have a set amount of time to hunt and collect as much as they can find. There is also a bonus prize for the team that kills the most rabbits! The spoils of their hunt (all considered by the locals to be pests) were arranged on the lawn in comical poses for the judges to see. We have to admit that for us, it was a bizarre and slightly unpleasant sight.
The farmstay that we have checked into is a lovely cosy place owned and lived in by a friendly and very chatty retired farmer and his little dog Fitzy. We basically share his kitchen, his bathroom and sit with him in front of the fire in his lounge which makes it feel
as if we are staying with a friend. The whole house is completely cluttered with trinkets, silverware and nik naks and much to Bi's delight the kitchen cupboards are full of proper English China and silverware for us to use. We immediately booked another night it's so nice. Tomorrow our plan is to drive to Mt Cook National Park about 90kms away for views of the mountain and some Alpine walking.
On Sunday we packed our bags and headed outside the city of Dunedin for a drive along the Otago Peninsula which juts out into the Pacific. The peninsula is famous for its wildlife such as rare penguins and sealions. Along the way we made our way inland to visit Lanarch Castle, New Zealand's only castle but on seeing the steep entry price we promptly U-turned, as did many others! We drove along to the furthest accessible point on the peninsula which is home to a colony of Royal Albatrosses and affords views over Otago Harbour. A visit to the peninsula is a highly recommended thing do to here but we didn't find it particularly inspiring so we didn't hang around too long.... we have been a bit spoilt for wildlife and scenery in the last 6 months and are probably just getting a bit snobby about what we think is good!
We drove back to the city and then headed 3 hours north-east towards the small township of Omarama, a pleasant base from which to visit Mt Cook National Park. We stopped in Moeraki, a small fishing village to see the strangely 
spherical boulders along the beach (apparently you require a Phd in Geology to understand how they are formed!). We then headed around the bay to Moeraki harbour for a picnic (which we timed very nicely in between rain showers). Driving further north we stopped and strolled aroung the pretty and quiet Victorian town of 
Omaru which is full of curiosity shops and antique shops. It was like taking a step back in time! We cut inland and drove to our destination, a small farmstay located just outside the township of Omarama. As we passed through the town we saw a peculiar sight; on the front lawn of the pub were several large displays of dead animals. We went to investigate and got chatting with one of the locals who explained they had just had their annual 'Fur and Feathers' hunting competition. 
Apparently teams of hunters get together and pull out of a hat whether they are hunting 'furs' (goats, pigs and wallabies) or 'feathers' (just about anything that flies) or both. They then have a set amount of time to hunt and collect as much as they can find. There is also a bonus prize for the team that kills the most rabbits! The spoils of their hunt (all considered by the locals to be pests) were arranged on the lawn in comical poses for the judges to see. We have to admit that for us, it was a bizarre and slightly unpleasant sight.
The farmstay that we have checked into is a lovely cosy place owned and lived in by a friendly and very chatty retired farmer and his little dog Fitzy. We basically share his kitchen, his bathroom and sit with him in front of the fire in his lounge which makes it feel 
as if we are staying with a friend. The whole house is completely cluttered with trinkets, silverware and nik naks and much to Bi's delight the kitchen cupboards are full of proper English China and silverware for us to use. We immediately booked another night it's so nice. Tomorrow our plan is to drive to Mt Cook National Park about 90kms away for views of the mountain and some Alpine walking.
