Thursday 14 February 2008

Dunedin

Well, we needed to start heading back towards Christchurch as our flights to Singapore draw closer, so we decided to make camp in Dunedin. Dunedin was originally set up by Scots immigrants and was to be named New Edinburgh, but to avoid confusion, they decided to adopt the Gaelic version, Dunedin, instead...

We were all a bit weary and The Dog had infected some of us with his filthy cold, so we took a lazy train trip up the Taieri Gorge. Nice 1920's carriages, nice cups of tea, nice gorge and generally a nice day out for tired folks. Nice. Oh and seeing as Dunedin is the Kiwi home of Cadbury's, we also indulged in a tour of their factory. Very nice.

The following day was a bit drab, but we headed out up the Otago Peninsular in hunt of Royal Albatrossesesesessssseses. Must admit, I thought this was going to be a bit of a wild goose chase ( ho ho ho ! ), but we actually got to see three nests, one of which was close enough to allow us to spot the incumbant portly chick, and we were also treated to a flying display by up to four adult birds. These puppies have about a ten foot wing span ( and a massive aspect ratio for all you aerodynamicists out there ) and seem to expend virtually no energy as they float by at a considerable lick. Apparantly once the juvenile birds leave their nesting site, they will not return to land for a minimum of about three or four years. Watching a very large seabird try and land for the very first time is a real treat once they do decide to return....

Here's ( very ) brief flypast by one of the beeeg birds.