By the sea with snow????

Day 4 18^th September Oamaru to Dunedin.

Today saw us firstly finding the Whitestone Cheese Factory where, unfortunately we couldn’t see the factory workers in action, we saw the factory floor and some blue vein cheese two months matured. We then entered the coffee shop and tasting a gorgeous creamy double brie, a tasty, a four year old tasty and a six month blue vein. All were yummy we bought a sample of cheese and complimentary paste. They also made some yummy savory scones (probably more similar to our muffin) that were a meal in themselves containing silver beet, onion, tomato, cheese, herbs etc. She wasn’t revealing the recipe but they were rich and yummy heated with brie melted in the middle. After we left we wandered back to our van through the main street poking our noses into the oldest hotel in Oamaru called the Kingsgate originally built in 1881. It has a parlour typical of the era; one could imagine well dressed gentlemen taking their ease by the fire, discussing the price of wool. It also had ornate Italian cornice work in the dining room, many period features and apparently a late in the night, piano playing lady ghost. We continued through the historic section of town admiring the old buildings which were wool stores, stables and liveries and are now artist’s studios, galleries and a historical bike shop and hire shop.

We left Oamaru early afternoon with only one stop at the Moeraki Boulders. The boulders are large spherical rocks close to the shore. Maori Legend tells that the larger ones are the remnants of parceled belongings and the smaller ones of sweet potato food supply from a ship wrecked in a storm sailing toward the land. Different costal features were created from other parts of the ship and chefs etc involved in the wreck. After walking the few 50 or so metres to the boulders we returned to the café and enjoyed a light lunch with a scrumptious Seafood Chowder highlight of our selection.

We left Moeraki and drove for about an hour and arrived in Dunedin. It was generally and uneventful leg except we once again drove in a light snow flurry which finished just before Dunedin. Once we had settled in the van park there was a fall ‘snowy/sleety/haily stuff’ for a few minutes which was followed later but a light snowy sleet. Dunedin is a hilly town perched on the coastwith high lands behind. Seems to be a quaint ‘old fashiony’ town although we only drove through it and found the van park easily. To those who know North and South Carolina it feels like a mix of the old towns of Ashville and parts of Savannah & Charleston. We are here for two night so look forward to seeing if our impressions are correct.