the jourknow: Dunedin

Showing posts with label Dunedin. Show all posts

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

The New Zealand Diaries: No.16 - The final countdown

I have said it before and I will say it again, New Zealand really is a magical, intriguing country to visit on holiday, and one I had fallen in love with over the last few weeks of my adventure down under.

On the last day of my holiday, the sun sadly turned to rain, but it didn’t stop me enjoying the last few moments I had left on the South Island. Looking to make the most of the last day, my family and I set off to enjoy a few of the sites of Dunedin city.

Our first stop was at St. Clair’s beach. This golden beach, with waves perfect for surfing, is usually packed with tourists and locals on a sunny day, but on a windy and wet day, it was empty. The beach offers fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean, and was surprisingly peaceful despite on the edge of the busy city.

Taking photos and walking bare footed across the sand, it was great to feel the sand between my toes one last time. Despite the weather, the temperature was still warm, and the weather held off whilst I took some fantastic shots of the beach.

After the beach, we did a quick shopping trip in the city centre. Shopping in New Zealand is a mix of commercial chains and boutique stores, and there’s certainly something for everyone in Dunedin. Stopping off at the Cathedral for a few pics, I then went in search of gifts to give to my family. Luckily, a tourist shop is situated right by the cathedral, so I didn’t have too far to go.

We then went for one last meal at an amazing steak house on the busy high street. Enjoying my succulent medium-rare steak, it rounded off a month’s worth of food that I had thoroughly enjoyed eating.

Getting in the car and heading towards the suburbs, we stopped off at one of Dunedin’s most iconic buildings, the train station. Despite mainly used for freight and tour trains, the station is a fantastic structure of colour and gothic architecture, and inside was even more spectacular. Here you’ll find many tourists wondering around, and the atmosphere was lively. You’ll even find the Cadbury chocolate factory nearby, which sadly I didn’t have time to visit (maybe next time!)

Our last stop was at the mysterious Dunedin Chinese Garden. Having never been to a Chinese garden before, I was unsure of what to expect as we walked in. A Chinese garden, it turns out, is mainly a garden structured around a big pond, with a waterfall, water plants and rock features. Although there were fewer flowers than I had expected, the garden was spectacular to look round, and was a peaceful, quiet haven away from the busy city.

The garden also hosts Tai Chi classes, a tearooms and an activity centre, which allowed you to try on different costumes (which I did, of course), play mind games, and solve puzzles. It was a peculiar place, and despite being a recent project, it seemed to have just as much history as the rest of the town!

So that was it. After a quick visit to see our cousins, one sleep and a tearful goodbye to my family, I was back on the plane heading for old Blighty. It’s hard to sum up my time in New Zealand, there’s just not enough words to describe the fantastic time I had over there. It really was a once-in-a-lifetime holiday that I’ll never ever forget. In fact, I’m even tempted to move out there when I’m older! If you ever get the chance to go to New Zealand, or are stuck for holiday ideas, I hope these diaries have tempted you to splash out and enjoy the holiday of a lifetime. You’re guaranteed a fantastic time!

Follow me on Twitter: @kieranwatkins

Friday, 11 May 2012

The New Zealand Diaries: No.12 - A day at the Museum

Whenever you go on holiday or take a trip to a place you haven't been to before, the best way to find out all about the local area, the people and the history behind a town or city is to visit the local museum.

Museums in general, I think, get a bad press from a lot of people. Some claim they're boring, some claim they're too old and outdated. Sadly, this has tarnished the museum culture, but with many families looking for 'free' and 'fun' place to discover, museum's are starting to thrive again.

And the Otago Museum in downtown Dunedin was no different. A fantastic museum with displays, artifacts and exhibits on everything. Whether you wanted to find out more about the Maori tribes that once lived in the area, or more about the extinct wildlife, there is so much to see and do.

With over three floors of exhibitions, we started our way at the top, working our way down. The first few exhibits give you a feel about the industry behind the South Island; beer, mining and fishing. One room had dozens of boat displays on show, complete with the skeleton of a whale - which was truly fantastic.

In other rooms, the Museum offers visitors a glimpse into the South Pacific - the tribes and colonies from places like Samoa. With authentic costumes and instruments used by the tribes, you get a feel for the unique culture of each separate colony.

Moving on, a fantastic stuffed animal collection featuring small mammals to birds and fish, the collection is by far the biggest I have ever seen. Sadly, it was the only chance I got to see a real life Kiwi.

The museum also houses a fantastic interactive section, complete with hands-on science exhibits for children and adults alike. It's not free, but it's certainly worth the money. Here, families can see what the effects of sun stroke and smoking can have on their body with the fantastic 'Your Face Here' interactive exhibition. Elsewhere, the outside butterfly enclosure offers guests the chance to see a colourful collection of butterflies enjoying the sunshine. Be warned, they will land on you!

The museum has so much to offer, and even after a few hours wondering around, I had learnt so much about New Zealand then I thought humanely possible!

Follow me on Twitter: @kieranwatkins

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

The New Zealand Diaries: No.5 - The steepest street in the world

After having a slap-up meal to celebrate the eve before Christmas, what better way to work off a steak and chips by walking up the world's steepest street.

Baldwin Street, the official name, had been on my New Zealand to-do list ever since I started planning my holiday. Friends and relatives who had visited the South Island had all recommend a trip there, and I was eager to go and see what all the fuss was about.

Baldwin Street, in the heart of Dunedin, is hidden away from the main road, and with the town lying at the foot of a mountain, it is easy to assume that many of the roads will be steep. But Baldwin is not any old street. From a distance, it looks like any old street, with homes dotted either side of the road. Get up close however, and you will be struggle to see where the road ends.

It took an agonising one-minute to drive up the hill (definitely not the best place to start a hill start!) Once we had reached the top, the view was spectacular. Forget Everest, this was enough for me. Seeing Dunedin glistening as the sun sets over summed up the Christmas occasion. Who needs fairy lights when you have the sun twinkling off the many windows of the quaint houses.

Although I did not walk up it - they have a water fountain at the top for any visitors who may be dying of thirst once they have reached the top - just being there and driving up it was enough. And if that is not enough, the annual Jaffa race (a type of New Zealand chocolate) sees 30,000 chocolates roll down the street, and is just one of the events to look forward to every year.

Whether you drive or walk, make sure you visit Baldwin Street - the official steepest street in the World - to see magnificent views of Dunedin, worthy of a photo or two!

You can find out more on Baldwin Street by visiting the website: http://ourshop.co.nz/baldwinstreet.htm

Previous Diary posts:

No.4 - Food, glorious food
No.3 - Brighton Beach, but not as you know it!
No.2 - The Good Life
No.1 - Don't Fly Qantas