6 March Stunning scenery, a tale of an albatross and a couple from Gloucestershire.

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We drove out to the Otago Peninsula with stunning scenery across to Dunedin and across the harbour. The Royal Albatross Centre was rapidly packing up with tourists and the only way to see the birds we were informed was by a guided walk. Seeing as it was cold and windy and Tony didn’t want to spend too much time on his feet we decided to explore for ourselves and low and behold we found a free film on these splendid birds and then, following a short walk down the cliff, we encountered several of them flying around as well as a seal trying manfully but in vain to be washed up on the rocks by the rough, white crested waves. Moral of the story – beware of guided tours!. From here we took the higher and more difficult route back to Dunedin and are we glad we did because the scenery was simply stunning. Then a brief shop, filled up with fuel (75p per litre here by the way) and on the scenic south coast road heading towards Invercargill. We stopped for lunch by the beach at Ocean View and met a couple from the old country, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire to be precise). He had been out here since 2004 and she since 2009 both having gone through separate divorces. He loved it her but she was clearly homesick missing her family, quality clothes and food and old country houses. Then we started our journey again and ended up at Kaka Point .
High points – the scenery around Otaga Peninsula and spotting the albatross
Low points – the dead wildlife count on the roads

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Photos

Royal Albatross Centre
Wot, £15 to see an albatross?