Sunday, 12 Feb. First, the signs:
“Horse Poo. $2”
“Lonely Goat Winery”
Outside a produce market: “Local, Fresh Gossip, available every day.”
It was a too-many-pictures day. Got out of Christchurch at the break of dawn. First stop was Lake Tekapo, which came to view all at once from the top of a hill. Breathtaking. Just dazzling jewel blue. Words don’t describe it, and actually pictures don’t either. The wind was blowing like crazy too. You had to be there. There was a statue of appreciation for Collies and a tiny chapel with a large window facing the lake. If the wind hadn’t been blowing so hard it might have felt serene.
Drove up to a university observatory station. Tremendous views all around.
The next lake, Pulaki, was also intensely bright with monster waves. The glaciers that feed both lakes are at the farthest end, so they weren’t visible. Because rain seemed to hide that side on the lakes there was a sense of foreboding, like “There be Dragons”. This area was used for several scenes in Lord Of The Rings.
Saw a sign for “Elephant Rocks”, so that’s where I went next. It was used in the movie Narnia. Cool rocks outcroppings. (Sheep are just everywhere. I asked about sheep on the road and was amazed at the surprised looks. Apparently not a problem.)
Visited a small town museum, which was very similar to USA small town museums. I do usually find something unique, and this was no exception. A wooden “vacuum cleaner”. A rabbit skin press.
Got to Dunedin, then got lost. Apparently it has new roads because my GPS went bonkers several times. It was also very cold (15C), whereas I was dressed for the lakes (27C). Visited the train station, then called it a day. I’m staying in a small cabin tonight, using a sleeping bag I brought. Sheets cost extra. Community bathroom. I used AirBnb in Christchurch for the first three nights. It was fine, though there was also a shared bathroom. Tomorrow I’ll be in a regular hotel where I won’t have to be fully clothed to use the bathroom. It’s the little things that count.
(I believe you can track my movement by clicking on “Track” on the Menu Bar.)
No, I didn’t eat it all.