Christmas Eve

Dec. 24

This was the very first day that John was on his very own in New Zealand in 2009. It started out cloudy but the day grew ever brighter and sunnier. The UV outlook was extreme (not just very high) so he put on sunblock until he looked very pale from the white material.

Then he set off in the car in his very first driving experience through the heart of Dunedin's packed shopping street - George St. He went passed the Octagon - the main square (except it has eight sides)! Then he followed Cath's directions to follow the signs to the Otago Peninsula. This part of NZ is called Otago and perhaps it is named after the peninsula.

Anyway, the drive on Portobello Road was spectacular, close alongside the bottoms of cliffs near the ocean. The direction that John was going the road hugs the water on the left and the rocks on the right. He soon got the hang of it as he followed a camper van along the road.

He stopped several times for video before getting eventually to the Royal Albatross Colony on the very tip of the peninsula called Tairoa. This is the only mainland colony of these huge sea birds who have wingspans up to three metres across (that's ten feet)! Once they have fledged they go out to sea for at least three to five years before again setting foot on land.

Derek had said to hope for a windy day in order to see them fly. Unlike other birds who have strong pectoral muscles, Albatross' weak muscles find it hard to take off in calm air. Albatross are gliders not flappers. But it was a lovely calm day. John paid an incredible $40 for a one-hour tour but it was well worth it. The talk was fascinating and the experience magical. He saw six birds sitting on their nests. He also saw a colony of very rare Stewart Island Shags (a species of cormorant) and also a New Zealand fur seal swimming in the water far below the colonies. These are all wild creatures, not in a zoo.

After the tour and a wee look at the little museum devoted to the Northern Royal Albatross, John had lunch at the cafe. He had a sandwich and a cup of green tea. John wasn't sure who was watching the other more intently - him or a cheeky little seagull.

The motel operator, also named John, had said not to pay to see the penguin colony because the birds would be out to sea during the day and to go and sit beside a beach on Sandfly Bay to see them come in during the afternoon.

John set out to cross the peninsula. He had this sense of freedom as he drove on dirt roads no wider than his little red Toyota Corolla up steep hills and ridge back roads with wide vistas of stunningly beautiful scenery. He also noted that NZ often uses wooden fences rather than guard rails alongside deep drops. But it was all part of the adventure. He found his way to Sandymount Recreation Reserve and took the walk along the cliff edges.

To say it was everything he had hoped for would be an understatement. First he travelled through a forest glade right out of Lord of the Rings, then he came to a fence with a closed gate. It was closed to keep the sheep in but John could see the trail marker ahead. He wandered through sheep grazing as he felt the strong, constant wind and looked below to see the ocean whitecaps. John had always hoped for this sort of walk - completely alone in NZ surrounded by the bah-h-h-ing of sheep. And he was alone. During the entire walk he saw no one else at all. Needless to say but he had to avoid stepping in sheep droppings as well as rabbit pellets all the way!

He eventually ended up at Lover's Leap. There was a wooden platform made as a viewing point and John could see the rock bridge over the small, deep, chasm inlet hundreds upon hundreds of feet below. He was at cloud height too although the clouds stayed offshore. He memorized the moment to keep it with him forever.

Then he found his way back to the car and drove on to Sandfly Bay. Again he left the car and walked part way down to the beach. He sat on sand amongst some scrub (beautiful yellow flowers actually) out of the wind far above the beach but far enough down that his heart was racing on the slow climb back up. He didn't have the time to wait for the penguins as it was Xmas eve and he wanted to get something for supper before everywhere closed. However, he enjoyed the view of this incredible white sand beach that forms a sand mountain.

Then it was back to the motel. However, John took a wrong turn somewhere near Dunedin and got completely lost. And he couldn't find the street names he was on. He could see the cross streets and after going miles and miles the wrong way out of Dunedin he found a cross street on the map and eventually found his way back.

To celebrate the Xmas season he had chicken at KFC! Then it was off to bed to watch 'The Santa Clause 3' while I wrote and somehow uploaded several posts to this blog. John's day tomorrow includes his trip across the South Island to Wanaka. He sent warm Happy Holidays thoughts to those reading his blog.

TRB