Invercargill

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Invercargill
November 18, 2008


Traveled a very short distance today, we took our time finishing up the Catlins region. We like this coastal area with the rugged beaches. We took one hike to a couple of waterfalls. The falls weren’t memorable, but the walk through an ancient rimu rainforest was.

We had a pleasant lunch in Papatowai and stopped at the Lazy Gypsy, a crazy little shop where the owner makes all kinds of little automata. Not sure if that’s the right word, but he makes little things that move and do strange things when you push a button or turn a crank. I especially liked the “gurgling shells.” You turned a tiny crank and water flowed back and forth from a spiral shell to an abalone shell making a soothing “gurgling” noise. Guess you had to be there for that one.

Invercargill (about 50,000 pop.) is where we are tonight. We washed clothes, and just hung out in the caravan park in the late afternoon. Tomorrow we are going to Stewart Island. The weather is “iffy” for that one, but it is our only chance (and a remote one at that) to see a kiwi. Not going there just for that though, it’s supposed to be a neat place.

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Photos

Owaka Caravan Park
I'm still amazed at these places. This was one of the more rustic parks we've stayed at. This was the kitchen after the breakfast rush...immaculate! Campers didn't leave a crumb or a smudge.

Buying Vodka???
This is the way one can buy alcohol here, filling up a bottle from a plastic jug. We didn't need vodka, but Joe bought a small bottle and some cranberry juice. I get a cosmo tonight.

Purple Lake
Photo's not so hot, but this lake looked purple to us.

Whale Watching???
Seems this sign painter had a little trouble with the spelling of Whale Watching, Apply Within.

Temptation
Of course, I pushed the button. Got squirted in the face, too.

Lost Gypsy
This is the store with all the little gadgets. Pretty interesting place.

Comments

[Connie]

Judy- Wonderful pictures, as usual. What is a rimu rainforest? I've been in the rainforest in the state of Washington, but I'm guessing it's not like that in NZ.

[J J]

Rimu
It's just a type of very old tree, has been on the earth for I can't remember how many millions of years.