Decision Time - Mountains or Coast

August 3rd

As we soak in a hot pool overlooking Lake Tekapo and the snowy mountains beyond we are contemplating our remaining days in the South Island.  We don't have enough....

The Stark's just finished an hour of tubing on a short but rather fast slope in the snow (and rain). It was a crazy ride when he gave  you a spin down the slope. When we got there we were the only people crazy enough to go on the slopes (it was pretty wet) They guy that gave us our tubes and helmets was from Montreal, living in  Jasper, but working at Lake Tekapo for the NZ winter.  Our decision was to stay at a freedom campsite overlooking a nearby Lake Pukaki or make a break for the coast and see some little blue penguins coming out of the surf in Omaru.

I called,  We had time to make it so we hopped in the Campervan and headed for the east coast. Although we were not allowed to take any pictures, We did have an incredible time watching over 70 penguins (they are actually blue) just after sunset.

Not our picture - but the penguins looked like this

We stayed in an odd "holiday park" very close by on the waterfront and we could hear the pounding surf all night.  We wandered the town after dark, but nearly everything was closed.  We will have to explore in the morning.  They seem to be into Victorian stuff with a side of Steampunk.

Aug 4 (morning)

The holiday parks was run by a pleasant and funny guy who's main job was tours, and bike, kayak, surf rentals.  It turned out to be a convenient place to stay.  Samantha and I explored and took photots of the Steampunk themed play park and then they whole family piled into the van and parked downtown to get groceries and wander through the Victorian quarter for a couple of hours.

It was amazing.  They have done a great job keeping it themed, but lightly.  Catriona fell in love with a bookstore called "Slightly Foxed Second Hand Books".  We did not get into the steam punk museum and are a bit sad about that, but time is a factor.

After Omaru, we traveled to Dunedin for more (hopefully) penguins and stopped at the Moeraki boulders.

Also very cold and windy that day but it didn't stop us from dipping our feet in the ocean.