Dunedin and Waitati and penquins 16/1/16 – 19/1/16

Continuing our journey through Otago – scenery, beaches and penquins

(T) After leaving Te Anau we headed to Balclutha for 1 night and penquins being a favourite of mine we headed out to the Catlins to Nugget Point to see some. After a drive along some awesome coastline with gorgeous beaches we arrived – but unfortunately after nearly 2 hours standing waiting in the cold and rain – the penquins didn’t. We took a drive to Aramoana Beach and after a long walk on this stunning beach we came across a loan young seal, took a few pics and then in case its angry mother was nearby we didnt stay long. We then headed to Dunedin for a couple of days. We booked on the Taieri Gorge rail trip which was great. Despite cloudy weather the trip was a highlight. Our 4 hour return journey took us through forests, 10 tunnels and up close and personal through the Taieri Gorge, over bridges, one in particular very high and scarey, and viaducts to Pukerangi and back. The next day we went for a tour round the Cadbury’s factory. Really good value for money especially as the amount of free chocolate we got far exceeded the tour fee – yum! We finished off our time in Dunedin with a visit to the early settlers museum, well worth a visit, great museum. Perfect morning for a very rainy day.
After Dunedin we headed out to Waitati where we stayed at Arden Country House B&B, what a lovely place. We had the spilt level appt in this old cottage style building full of little nooks, gorgeous gardens, chickens and a bunch of wee kittens the owners Faye & Geoff found in their loft. Awwww, spent most of the time in their kitchen with the little bundles of fluff, if we still had a house i would most certainly have been bringing some home. Next on the list was a tour at Penquin Place so it was back through Dunedin and out along the Otago Peninsula. Fantastic drive along the coast and through various little villages. Penquin place is full of trenches and hides where you can see the very endangered yellow eyed penquins and see them we did! It was awesome!! We saw 2 chicks waiting on their parents to come back with food, one then took a walk out of the nest and behind a huge flax – boo – but then he popped up just a few feet away – yay! We saw 2 lone male adults, one in a nest and the other in a pond and one on the beach. And best of all we followed a returning parent waddling home with a full belly of food for a chick, all within a few feet of us in the tunnels, just perfect.