Two and a half kilos…

… is what I have gained while we have been on holiday, which I don’t think is too bad considering the amount of cheese I have consumed. We flew down to Dunedin and had the weekend there, then drove to Otematata on the Monday calling in at the Whitestone Cheese factory while passing through Oamaru. We sampled their wares for our lunch and stocked up for our eleven days in Otematata. We didn’t quite eat it all so were able to bring some home with us yesterday. The cheese, and food in general has been the one of the highlights of our holiday.

Oamaru Public Gardens

Otematata was constructed in the 1960’s for the workers (and their families) building the dams in the Waitaki Valley, particularly the Benmore dam. I think the assumption was that it would be a temporary development, but the people who lived they put down roots and a number of them stayed after the dams had been completed. These days, half the township is local residents and the other half (where we stayed) is holiday homes. It is a sleepy wee spot with just one shop and a library with very limited opening hours.

Downtown Otematata

The Waitaki Valley was part of the South Island that we had only driven through before, but we thoroughly enjoyed exploring it. The three dams and their lakes (Benmore, Aviemore and Waitaki) provided some stunning views. We enjoyed walks which took us away from the roads and into the quiet of the countryside where we met very few people, if at all.

View from the Benmore Dam

Lake Benmore

Deep Stream Creek

We grew very fond of Kurow, which might be the biggest metropolis in the area as it has at least three cafés, a tavern, a Four Square and a museum. Some of it’s buildings are painted in very vibrant colours which I thought was great, and voicing this response to the lady who ran the information centre and museum won me a friend for life. She pressed free apples and plums upon us which I turned into a very passable pie with some help of some wild berry jam and dates (we had no sugar).

Walking the Hooker Valley trail from Mt Cook village had been recommended to us by friends here in BHB, and it didn’t disappoint. The track was busy (though I think we were there on a quiet day) but well laid and quite easy walking. Our biggest challenge was with the heat of the day as the weather was much better than we had expected. What we also hadn’t expected was to feel that we got so close to the base of Mt Cook. As the walk progressed and the vistas changed and awed, it got closer and closer. The scene at the end of the track was very rewarding, and it was good to sit and drink it in for awhile. The views on the drive there and back were equally stunning, and we had a very welcome cup of tea in Twizel on the return leg. It was a brilliant day.

Mt Cook

We had gentle ambles round three wetland areas, Otematata, Kurow and Duntroon. These were all quiet and pleasant with their own characters, and I was able to have a swim in Lake Aviemore a couple of times too. We visited Rachel in Wanaka, wandered up to the Clay Cliffs near Omarama and then had a hot tub and sauna wallow. We spent time in the Victorian precinct in Oamaru, and had a very high tea at there Astro café on the top of Mt John in Tekapo.

Otematata wetlands

Kurow

View from Mt John

Food, as ever, featured in our holiday. A couple of good breakfasts out were enjoyed, but the highlight was the Kurow Village Winnery, into which we were enticed by their amusing signage. On our first visit we had a tasting platter of four wines matched with four Whitestone cheeses, accompanied by a large and tasty pizza. We bought some wine which on our second visit we arranged to have shipped to us after consuming our platter for two. Here is a photo so that you know what you missed:

Apart from two dullish days and half an hour of rain, the weather was fantastic. Cool nights, clear days, some fluffy clouds and warm or hot sun. The PSA accommodation was up to spec and more spacious than at Te Anua with it being three bedroomed.

Spending time at the beginning and end of our holiday in Dunedin worked well again. Chance to catch up with Claire and Ryan and see what they are doing with their home. Exploring Dunedin on foot by doing a self-paced street-art walk. Having our last night and last breakfast by the sea at St Clare. A tour of Emersons brewery followed by beer, cheese platter and chips.

Coming back to Auckland which is suffering from very heavy rain and flooding has been quite a contrast, as will going back to work tomorrow.

Take care, Rick