Dunedin: Otago Peninsula

We began our week-long road trip of the South Island by driving from Christchurch to Dunedin, stopping at the Moeraki Boulders along the way. Unfortunately the tide was in so some of the rocks were harder to look at and access, but this made for some fun runs to take photos before getting too wet.

Coming into Dunedin, we headed straight out onto the Otago Peninsula to look for albatross. The breeding colonies are closed off unless you pay the exorbitant fee for the tour, so we had to settle for a view of a soaring albatross overhead and lots of seagulls and some fur seals, who were snoozing on a pathway looking adorable.

seaweed looks like hair

he had rolled over by the time we walked back around!

this guy was a little suspicious of me photographing him

Then I took the Highcliff Drive on the drive back for great views on top of the peninsula. The weather was gorgeous, and the lambs were bleating -- it was a nice experience.

We walked around downtown Dunedin for a bit and checked out the big church and grounds.

North Island Itinerary: Hobbiton and Waitomo Glowworms

Flying back to New Zealand from Sydney, we arrived in Auckland and had two days to explore around before the trip was over. The first day, we chose a long day driving down to the Hobbiton Movie Set and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and then back to Auckland. It was a beautiful, sunny day for Hobbiton, and it was lambing season, so there were lots of sheep and their lambs on the green hillsides. We even saw a lamb that had just been born a few minutes prior, which the bus driver had seen on her way to pick everyone one up.

My phone battery died on the way to Waitomo, so we were left without navigation and got lost, which was not fun. We had to use the old-fashioned paper map from AA and stick to the main highway so we wouldn't lose more time. But this was my first time seeing the glowworms and they were very cool. They take you into the caves and then on a boat so your eyes can adjust to the darkness and see the thousands of glowworm larvae above and around you. Since you can't take photos down there (which is nice - frees you to actually enjoy the experience), I've only got one of the exit of the caves.

 

The recreation of Hobbiton in The Shire

 

Bilbo Baggins' house

The Hobbiton cat had the best seat in The Green Dragon Inn, next to the fire

Exiting the Waitomo Glowworm Caves