Catlins - Day 5

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Yes we managed to wake up on time for the free freshly baked bread - there is nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread. The beautiful aroma of the bread woke me and I got out of bed in a hurry and into the kitchen to quickly brew a good cup of tea while the bread was baking. No one was in the kitchen yet. My tea is ready and the bread still isnt ready. Other backpackers start stirring and waking up with the smell of the bread now steady spreading throughout the entire building. Two people join me in the kitchen. Then Ans comes into the kitchen. Finally the bread is ready and we are the first ones to attack it. Funnily enough the bread doesnt taste too good.....especially not as good as we remember fresh bread to taste back in high school and would eat loaves of fresh baked bread with some coke. Alas such is life. Small disappointment. After breakfast we quickly pack up our bags and load them into the car, unload the fridge into our foodbags and of we go in a generally east direction. Our plan for the day is to spend the entire day going through Catlins National Park and end the day in Dunedin. Revered by eco-tourists, the Catlins is a place of awesome natural beauty. Dense forest, deep valleys, towering cliffs and rocky coastal bays, inlets, and estuaries where the great Pacific Ocean bites into the land. This is truly a unique place!

We didnt know quite what to expect - a rainforest, some trees or some bushes. One thing we were sure of was that the coastline was going to be spectacular. The coastline definately did not disappoint and the national park was a pleasant surprise.


First Stop - Fortrose. This was more of a toilet break than a stop. After two morning cups of tea we needed to stop for the toilet just soon after take off. The toilet was so disgusting and full of flies. We quickly did what we had to and ran out. It was quite windy and colder than we anticipated. There was no one around so we quickly changed into warmer clothes. Plus we wanted to be fully covered as we throught there might be more bloody sandflies in the park with its dense vegetation. That sorted we continued or journey.

Second Stop - Waipapa Point. Waipapa has a lighthouse and is supposed to be a good viewing point for sea lions. It is also the site of New Zealands worst civilian shipping disaster - S.S. Tararua. On 24th April 1881, 131 people lost their lifes. Afterwards the lighthouse was built to avoid future disaster. We did not see any sea lions, so after admiring the views and taking a walk on the beach we continued or journey.

Third Stop - Slope Point. Slopepoint is the southernmost point of the South Island. I had really wanted to go there and be the first in the family to have been to the northern & southern most points of NZ. First at anything is awesome. Anshu didnt want to go as she didnt quite make it to Cape Reinga - poor girl (maybe one day she will - but she definately wont be the first). After much coaxing, I finally convinced her to go - yippee. The parking is on a dirt road, we jump out the car and open the farm gate, walk past hundreds of sheep to get to Slope Point. The view is great but not as stectacular as Cape Reinga where on a clear day one can see the two oceans of different colour meeting. We walk back and take pics of some funny trees we spotted, apparently they are the famous windswept trees that are in the travel brochures.

Fourth Stop - Curio Bay. The stumps and fallen trees of the worlds finest fossil forest 160 million years old lie uniquely preserved, and exposed on a rock platform at low tide at Curio Bay. We should also be able to see the rare yellow eyed penguin here. Angie was so fascinated by the trees that had turned to stone over the millenia. I kept looking in all the nooks & crannies or the elusive yellow eyed penguin and wanted desperately to see it, having never seen a penguin before. After exploring around for ages we decided it was time to go when I noticed that I hadnt been to the otherside. Angie didnt want to come as see was tired. I went on to explore the otherside. There was only one other person on this side and he was heading back. We stop to greet each other. He casually asks if I have seen the any penguins yet. I tell him I havent. He point to where two chick are soaking up the warmth of the sun. Yes!!! At last I see the penguins, I wave and try and get Angie's attention as I want her to enjoy seeing the penguins and then I forget about her. I sit quitely for ages observing the penguins from a safe distance - not wanting to disturb or intrude. Anshu soon joins me and we watch some more. Soon a tourist bus full comes towards the penguins. I feel angry and tell Angie to look somewhere else so they wont know where the penguins are. They are with a guide who knows exactly where the penguins are but enlightens the tourists the the species are endangered and everyone views them from a respectful distance. Knowing they are safe - we leave the scene to continue or journey.

Fifth Stop - Waikawa. This was just a kunch stop for us. We were quite hungary after a morning of exploring. Stopped by a roadside trailer selling fish & chips. Waikawa was a old town - we noticed a small building the size of a single room with the word "JAIL" on it across the street "POST OFFICE". The food was average, we ate and moved on. We also stopped by the museum and after viewing the free bit we moved on =)

Sixth Stop - Naigara Falls. What a joke!!! We see a sign saying Niagara Falls so we decide to check it out. There were no falls - more like tiny rapids. Apparently the most amusing waterfall is Niagara Falls, named by a surveyor with a sense of humour (they fall less than a metre). Only in New Zealand.

Seventh Stop - Purakaunui. By now Angie and I are having our squabbles again. Im pissed off because she doesnt want to stop at Cathedral Caves and Im not used to not get things my way. She is worried that we will not get to Dunedin in time to check in to pour accomodation. I say who cares we'll deal with it when we get there. Anyway I give in for a change and forsake Cathedral Caves for the sake of peace. We stop at Parakaunui Falls - the supposed amazing tiered Falls, we walk half way down the track and decide nah we dont really want to see them. Nothing in NZ could be as awe inspiring as the Victoria & Iguazu Falls which we'll already seen and definately not wanting to see another Niagara =) We jump back in the car and continue.

Eighth Stop - Nugget Point. This was the one of the days highlights. Another dust road to a parking area and then a long walk to the lighthouse. The views are amazing and looking down all you see is rocks and the ocean. There is no barrier stopping one from falling down the cliff face and ending ones life. But there is also enough room to walk safely. The water is ever so blue and beautiful and inviting. We finally get to the lighthouse - great viewing platform to see the nugget rock formations and the sea lions that look so tiny lying and enjoying the warmth of the sun. We can clearly hear the bark of the sea lions but they are too far away to view clearly. I go photo crazy and take a few pics of the amazing views of the nugget formations and the lighthouse.

Fianl Stop - Dunedin. We arrive at around eight in the evening in Dunedin. We are booked into a backpacker hostel called "Hogwartz" - the best backpacker I have ever had the pleasure at staying. The hostel lady have left a envelope stuck to the door with details on what to do to get to our room - she will check us in tomorrow morning. We love our spacious room that any other hostel owner would have tired to cram at least 10 bunk beds into - instead there was only five single beds. The chracter of the building and the decor was like Hogwartz from Harry Potter - totally wicked! After a nice long hot shower (amazing showers - good pressure) we headed into the kitchen to pour a glass of wine and prepare some dinner. Watched as the sunset and crashed soon afterwards.

What a nice day its been - the highlights for me were seening the yellow eyed penguins and nugget point. Dont really care if we didnt see Cathedral Caves - my friend and I are still talking =)

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Photos

Windswept Trees
World famous in NZ.

Jail
in Waikawa.

The ridiculous Niagara Falls
behind the signpost.

Anshu
with the Nugget Lighthouse in the background.

Views
as we walk towards the Nugget Lighthouse.

Wow
I loved the view