Between Scottish city flair and marine wildlife! - Dunedin

07/11 - 09/11

After a few days in the mountains, I was really in the mood for some urban hustle and bustle. That's why we drove across the country to the east coast to Dunedin. The drive took about 3.5 hours - but once again, it was the panorama that made the time pass by in a flash.

Already a few kilometers before, you can feel the Scottish touch of this city. Dunedin looks exactly how I imagine a Scottish city (that was probably also one of the reasons why I wanted to go there). As it should be on a city trip, we explored the main attractions: the Octagon with its numerous restaurants & bars, the beautiful old train station building, and Baldwin Street, which is considered the steepest street in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records.







But we spent a whole day on the much more scenic Otago Peninsula, which we explored almost entirely by car. Apart from its scenic beauty - which I think we don't need to specifically mention in New Zealand ;) - this region has even more to offer: a diverse marine wildlife. Of course, there are numerous tours that you can book...but we wanted to save money again and decided to do it on our own.





We were lucky and spotted three sleeping sea lions right in Sandfly Bay. However, there was also an unpleasant sandstorm due to the strong winds, so we quickly turned back. I also didn't want to risk my camera falling victim to the swirling sand grains.





After that, we didn't have much luck spotting more animals, so we booked a tour in the evening to observe the world's smallest penguins (the little penguins or blue penguins) landing on shore. It was such a cool and funny sight to see these little birds being washed ashore in groups and waddling onto land... ;) The whole spectacle only lasted an hour, but we wouldn't have been able to endure it much longer anyway due to the cold.





An employee from our hostel recommended a stretch of coast north of Dunedin where you can see even more animals. At Katiki Point Lighthouse, we were able to observe countless sea lions of all sizes and poses, as well as the rarest penguin - the yellow-eyed penguin - in their natural habitat. I was able to get very close to the sea lions in some places, but for all other photos, I used the telephoto lens.







Dunedin not only has marine animals but also a few surf beaches. Luki took the opportunity and booked a surf course online at St. Clair Beach. While he improved his surfing skills, I spent the time in a nice café on the beach.





By now, we have also gotten used to life in hostels, and cooking every day is sometimes even fun (as long as the kitchen is well-equipped). But we have to realize again and again that we are almost the only ones who cook proper meals. The others, mostly younger travelers, eat things that you can't believe go down their throats. Do you want some examples?

- two flabby slices of toast soaked in tomato sauce and topped with unmelted grated cheese (I think it was supposed to be something like pizza)

- boiled penne soaked in cold whipped cream and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese (we guess it's penne carbonara)

- 4 eggs beaten without shells (!) in cold water and boiled...then eaten as a sandwich with untoasted bread slices (we have no idea why the eggs weren't just cooked in a frying pan)

- Frozen pizza is generally a good meal and you can't go wrong with it. The only problem is that hostel kitchens don't have ovens...one person thought they could heat it up in a pan...

Conclusion:

We didn't find Dunedin as a city particularly spectacular. There are a few nice attractions and quaint pubs/bars, but I wouldn't recommend anyone to drive so far south on the South Island just for that.

However, the Otago Peninsula was absolutely a highlight and is worth every trip. The peninsula is beautiful and the wildlife, if you're interested in it, is very fascinating. I haven't been that excited about wild animals before, but when you get the opportunity to get close to them and observe them in their natural habitat, it's a unique feeling and always makes you want to repeat it somehow...



As if that weren't enough to consider this stop a success, there's another factor. During our exploration of the peninsula, we took a little break at the Penguin Cafe, where I was served the best carrot cake of my life. Even Luki, who isn't a sweet tooth, was visibly impressed and enjoyed it! I'm still annoyed that I was too timid to ask for the recipe...

Hasta pronto!

E&L

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