New Zealand - South Island - Oamaru

---

Hi folks, got up this morning at 'Old Bones Lodge', pure luxury, said good-bye to 'Thelma and Louise', (the elderly ladies), they were so helpful, gave us loads of tip bits, the American girl turned out to be a Kiwi and she was working on the South Island but came from Auckland, so she to gave us tips. Looked like the Japanese lad drunk himself to a stupor in his room, saw Gloria bring out quite a number of beer bottles. Last night we went off to see the blue penguins, I put 4 layers of clothing on, sooooooo cold and windy out there. Well we managed to see 1. !! Yep, that was it and that little thing looked so scared, which I don't blame him with people pointing down at him and a couple of surfers in the sea, they must have been bonkers, it was just so cold. So we didn't stay and look at penguin, instead the 'Scotts Brewery' looked inviting across the road. In we went and it was a great ole atmosphere, a kiwi guy called Gordon started talking to us, said his son played Rugby for Edinburgh, he does, cos Stu googled him, not that we had any reason to dis-believe him but Gordon said he had been approached to play for Scotland. Anyhow we met Gordon's wife who knew Gloria which I suppose is not odd at all, they are all from the same town !! Gordon even got the bar staff to let us go through to the Brewery to have a picture taken.

So this morning, we went into the old Victorian part of Oamaru, they have these incredible buildings, built in the 1800's which were going to be knocked down and instead the locals use them for their arts and crafts and bakery, book shop, hotel, whiskey cellar and vintage shops. Everyone all very friendly, the kiwi's love talking, there is no chance of rushing out here, I thought I could rabbit but they take the biscuit !! (in a nice way).

---