The hills are alive with the sound of chocolate

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The first thing I have to say about Dunedin is that it is very hilly. So when the hostel you have booked tells you that it is a five minute walk from the centre, keep in mind that this might be a five minute walk up an almost vertical set of steps. Not too much fun with a backpack on.

Apart from the hills Dunedin is a suprisingly lovely little town. The only reason we came to Dunedin was for the chance to go off to the coast to see penguins. I had no expectations of the town as I had not heard anything about it so was pleasantly suprised as we had a great time in our short stay.

To continue on the hill theme we had read that Dunedin has the worlds officialy steepest residential street as authenticated by the Guiness book of world records. So we popped down to have a look and walk up it. The pictures really don't do it justice, it is steep!
To get everywhere in Dunedin you have to walk up rediculously steep hills so I wasn't feeling up for another one but we had come all the way. It was quite cute. They have a gift shop which has newspaper clippings about all the strange things people have done for charity, like the university students who pushed a van up the street and people trying to get up on unicycles. It must be wierd for the people who live there as there are so many tourists. One person has been very innovative and started selling certificates for getting to the top out of their garage.

We then spent the afternoon chilling out in the botanical gardens eating fresh strawberries mmmm as we were blessed with gorgeous weather. The botanical gardens in New Zealand are fabulous places to go and relax in and are designed so that there are lots of little nooks and crannies to get lost in.

When we arrived in Dunedin the bus dropped us right outside of the Cadburys chocolate factory. They have three large silos outside and one is all covered in purple and the Cadburys branding. We were joking that maybe that one was filled with chocolate. When we found out that they did a tour, I for one had to find out. I know it seems a bit strange doing this kind of tour in New Zealand as it comes from England and I have already been to the one in Birmingham but my curiosity had been raised and believe me it was worth it.
I was like a child at Christmas when we arrived and the smell was soooooo good. We got given chocolate treats as we went round the factory which everyone else kept for later and I scoffed. When we got to the machine that makes chocolate buttons I couldn't help thinking about my niece who loves buttons. I could just imagine her sat at the end of the assembly line with a huge grin on her face.
The best bit however was when we got taken in to the big purple silo. We entered at the top and it was dark inside. There was a spiral staircase around the outside inner wall and we were told to stand back. The lights were turned on and button was pushed to start up the machine when over our heads, over a tonne of liquid chocolate was released as a huge chocolate fountain! I kid you not it was one of the best thing I have seen in my life. Great wall of China, pah! Taj Mahal, rubbish! Angkor Wat, wat-ever!

We ended our short stay in Dunedin with a meal at Saigonvat restaurant. Please excuse the blatant advertising but it was such a good meal I can still savour it now if I think hard enough. It was gert lush.

Next, on to Queenstown and the question is.. To bungy or not to bungy?

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Photos

Dunedin train station
Apparently the second most photographed building in the southern hemisphere. Who comes up with this stuff! (Sydney Opera House is the first in case you were wondering)