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Published: January 1st 2007
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We're in Dunedin.
At a critical point on our journey into the city centre, I saw a sign for Corstorphine, which completely threw me, but fortunately we still managed to get into the centre without any trouble. Weather is still pretty crap - heavy showers and cold - it's midsummer here or is supposed to be but we're both wearing fleeces and our waterproof jackets!
We've booked into the backpackers for 4 nights. It's fairly central ie literally 2 minutes from their main square (which is actually an octagon). We went for a walk along Princes Street and Willy has bought another two books and is now reading.
I've been trying to find an Eddi Reader CD (as a present for Christine our hostess in Christchurch) and get my camera repaired. "We don't have any of his stuff in stock" was one reply I got. The Scottish Shop (think of the Edinburgh Woolen Mill on Princes Street in Edinburgh, complete with piper music and you won't be far wrong) sold its last copy yesterday, so I was out of luck there. The camera shop say my camera's too old to repair and want to sell me a new
one. I'm very tempted...
Many of the street names are lifted straight from Edinburgh - George St, Queen St, Princes St, Canongate, Moray Place, Leith Street and even the Water of Leith, but other than that I haven't noticed much resemblance to the capital except its almost as cold.
Hopefully weather will pick up for Hogmanay - it's Saturday night and we've just been for a meal and a wander round town - it's dead. I don't know what people do here but most of the people in the pubs seem to be foreigners maybe the locals stay at home and get carry-outs (beer is certainly a lot cheaper in supermarkets than in pubs - I bought 15 bottles for $18 when we visited Brian and it's $5 a time in the pubs).
It's Hogmanay and we've just had to eat in Macdonalds, cos it was either that or a hot dog and candyfloss. It's dry but cold, with a southerly wind from the Antarctic - the temperature here wouldn't disgrace a Scottish winter. There is a a carnival in the city centre, but it's either not livened up or these guys don't know how to
Big water
There has been a lot of rain in the interior of Otago - campers have had to be rescued. party. (Dunedin was originally settled by Presbyterians from Ayrshire, so maybe they've all got a Calvinistic streak.)
Went for a train ride to the interior of Otago today - on the Tahieri Gorge railway once part of NZ railways now preserved as a tourist attraction, but it gets you into the interior to an area with no roads. Have a look at the photos...
NZ TV is showing a Lord of the Rings film every night over the New Year period - Willy's already watching it on our TV (in our ensuite backpacker double room - which cost about 25 pounds a night ) and I'm going to go an join him, then we'll go out to the Octagon and see in 2007.
New Year was a bit more sedate than back home. Part of the reason may be that there was a temporary (I think) ban on drinking outside. Also the majority of people appeared to be "old fogies or little kids" as described by a young lady who I assume considered herself neither. Nevertheless the atmosphere was friendly and although the rendition of "'Auld Lang Syne"lacked the enthusiasm of Edinburgh, the firework display was pretty
A Plague of Gorse
Early settlers brought gorse with them and it's now been declared a pernicious weed like Japanese knot weed is in the UK good and there were no drunken louts running amok in the crowd.
New Year's Day got up late - another dull grey day. After breakfast went for walk in Botanic Gardens more massive trees and of course everything is in flower here so gardens looking at their best or would have, had not, yes you guessed it, the rain come on. So returned to hostel for another lazy afternoon reading (we've already done museum and art gallery)
Best wishes to all our readers. We wish you all a healthy and happy 2007
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