Month: May 2019

Christchurch,May 2019.

A trip to the South Island is not complete without visiting Christchurch, particularly as eldest son Scott and his girlfriend Eva live there!

It has been several months since our last visit, and the central city is slowly but surely coming back to life. The absence of orange cones on the roads was pleasing.

  • The Tannery, Woolston
  • Convention Centre
  • Town Hall

Dinner the first evening with Scott and Eva was at Trenches restaurant, in the RSA. This is next door to our accommodation on Armagh Street. The club was rebuilt after the earthquakes, and is modern and reasonably priced.

The next day we visited the Tannery Boutique shopping centre, in the unlikely location of Woolston. If in Christchurch, well worth a visit. The day was pleasant, so after some shopping at Ballantynes in the city, a walk through Hagley Park was ideal. Before returning to our room, we had a wander through the Art Gallery. Once again, well worth a visit.

  • Hagley Park
  • Hagley Park
  • Sculpture,Hagley Park

Dined that evening at the Market Place restaurant in the Crowne Plaza hotel. Very good, but noticed the prices are starting to creep up.

Feeling energetic, the next day the four of us walked the Rapaki Track in the Port Hills. It starts at Rapaki Road in Hillsborough, and takes you to the Summit Road. There are spectacular views over Lyttelton Harbour and Christchurch and the plains. A round trip is about an hour and a half.

We were hungry after all that exercise, and had lunch at Little Poms on Fitzgerald Avenue. A busy spot with excellent food! After some down time back at our digs, we decided to try the phenomenon that is the Lime Scooter. Great fun!

Dinner for our final night in Christchurch was Valentinos. A busy Italian restaurant in St Asaph Street, it was a fitting finale to our South Island sojourn.

  • Eva and Scott
  • Rapaki Track
  • Lime Scooter

Dunedin, May 2019.

With younger son Andrew soon to finish his studies at Otago University, we thought it a good excuse to visit!

  • Andrew’s flat
  • Nearby Olveston House.
  • The flat (near Otago Boys High)

    The first evening Andrew, his girlfriend Olivia and us dined at Luna restaurant. Great food and views over Dunedin.

    The next day we visited the historic Olveston House. Built in the early 1900’s by the wealthy Theoman family, mainly for entertaining!

    Gifted to the city in 1966, the guided tour is very interesting.

    In the afternoon, the four of us travelled to the end of the Otago Peninsula. Near the harbour entrance is the Royal Albatross Centre. The tour includes a video on the breeding and migratory habits of the bird, followed by viewing the chicks from a discreet observatory. With a wingspan of 3 metres, the Albatross is an impressive sight in the air. Once the young Albatross finally leaves the nest, it will spend five years at sea before returning.

    Dinner that evening was at Ironic Cafe, near the Railway Station. Excellent! There are no shortages of cafes and restaurants in Dunedin. Opposite our central city accommodation is the Good Oil cafe. A top spot for breakfast and lunch.

    The next day we continued our exploring, with a visit to Aromoana, via Port Chalmers. It is at the entrance of the harbour, opposite the Royal Albatross colony. There is a long breakwater, or “Mole”, which you can walk to the end of. Although windy, it is well worth it, and also there are a number of fur seals near the end.

    We also explored the beaches, and followed a boardwalk which took you through a salt marsh area.

    Hard to believe this quiet area was the scene of one of New Zealand’s worst mass murders.

    Lunch was at the historic Carey Bay Hotel, near Port Chalmers. Very nice.

    We wandered around the city in the afternoon, marvelling at the University campus, and also Dunedin’s excellent sporting facilities, including NZ’s only covered rugby and multi purpose stadium.

    For our final evening in Dunedin, Andrew and Olivia suggested the Etrusco at the Savoy. An Italian restaurant, the food was great as was the ambiance. A worthy end to a most enjoyable stay in one of NZ’s great cities!

    • Carey Bay Hotel
    • Forsyth Barr Stadium
    • Otago University
    • Otago University
    • Blair, Olivia and Andrew.