Awoke to pouring rain. Aurora Motel was excellent, bed and linen and kitchen equipment etc. all new and good quality. NZ really has gone up a notch although it was alwYs good at tourism now it is even better. After I cooked breakfast we got away at 9 am. By the time we had gone about 20 kms the rain was disappearing Nd we were treated to a perfect arch of a bright rainbow. Pukaki was rough with waves and white caps. Autumn leaves are now mKing their appearance. At Otematata we diverted a short distance to Lake Benmore Htdro station. A huge lake. As we continued along the road we noticed lots of free camping going on beside the lake wherever they could get near it. Fishing is obviously big. Morning tea in the village of Kurow at the GameKeepers Cafe. Yummy carrot cake.
Oamaru was such a surprise. We discovered the historical precinct dating from the 1870s to early 1900s. In those days Oamaru was a booming and rich town with a very busy port. This was because of wool and then the advent of frozen lamb to Britain. The wonderful old limestone warehouse and wool store buildings have been preserved and the area has become a fascinating mix of interesting shops and activities. We called into a rare books bookshop and I found a mountaineering book that has information re Bill's father and a climb he did when at the university of Otago. Bill bought it and The proprietor then found for me a copy of a book my father had ,but which went missing, and that I had enjoyed as a child. Old New Zealand by a Pakeha Maori is a classic of very early NZ literature and the copy that disappeared was a first edition. Anyway, now I have a later edition. OamRu has many fine public buildings built from the local limestone including an impressive Opera House.
Passed on through the Waitaki Valley, rolling green hills dotted with white sheep. The Waitaki and McKenzie country are where the best of New Zealand's fine merino wool originate.
Finally got to Dunedin about 4 pm. and the weather turned nasty again, cold and wet. Found our accommodation and later went downtown and had dinner at the Wig and Pen pub.
View of Harbour Street. The warehouse area
Limestone Church
Opera house
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