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Published: January 11th 2007
Me at the Bluff
A photo almost identical to millions of other tourists'....I was due to try to go to Milford Sounds again, but the road was still closed due to the avalanche and there was a good chance to road out Te Anau could go the same way. So I decided I would miss out Milford this time and not risk getting stuck at Te Anau.
So the Stray bus took us south towards Invercargill. But first to Bluff - the most southern town in New Zealand. It is famous for it's Oysters and has a seafood festival once a year that must just about keep the place in business, as right now it looks very dead. We go for a walk (I run most of it) through bush and along the coast. I remember feeling that I had done enough of Strays now and I was looking forward to getting back to Christchurch. I think I was tired and my friends from Strays had got off the bus over the last few days. There weren't many people on the bus at this stage and they were pretty young and quiet and I was too tired to try and make friends again, with only a few days
They call him Ol' Henry...
And he is over 120 years old... till I get off the bus.
We drive back up to Invercargill. What a a shit hole! It is known as the 'arsehole' of New Zealand (or even the universe) and for good reason! I walked down the main street of town and up and down the road there was no one! On a Saturday afternoon! It was like something out of '28 Days Later', but for all the boy racers, ragging up and down the street in pimped up Japanese cars. Think Invercargill could claim to have more Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi Evolutions per population than anywhere else in the world. Due to cheap Japanese imports, no need for insurance and a long straight 'drag strip' through town, it really is Boy Racer capital of the world.
I was planning on gong to Stewart Island from Invercargill but due to bad weather and time constraints I missed out on that too. So I had to spend a day and night in the arsehole... Oh what fun...
I walked down the road to another claim to fame for the town - the most southern McDonalds in the world. I tried a cheeseburger. Yep as crappy as any
Evil Possum
I've already explained how hated the possum is in NZ. Many believe that to do your duty to NZ's plants and native wildlife you should kill as many possums as you can - swerving to hit them when driving. Anyway, this drawing made me laugh as they have made it look so evil with it's teeth and claws. other part of the world. From there I walked to the museum to look at Tuatara (old lizards)... Henry was born around 1880 - over 120 years old! He didn't move a millimeter the whole time I was there. I thought he was dead or plastic. But apparently they breath once an hour when cold! And when the fight each other, they have a burst of aggression for 3 seconds and then take 15 minutes to recover before a second bout. Think if I was in a fight I would have given up and forgotten about it by then...
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melon
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Me at the Bluff
Your looking a bit skinny!!!