What could be worse than arriving at one's destination in a foreign country on time at 23h55 on a Friday night? It would be arriving two hours later than that. Thanks not one iota, Virgin Australia, your excellent imitation of Qantas was infuriating. It was cold comfort that we were advised in good time so we waited at home rather than at the airport.
Then, adding insult to injury, on arrival in Christchurch, our car rental company closed before we got there, notwithstanding we had called ahead before we left Melbourne. So a taxi was engaged to take us the few kilometres to our hotel, the Airport Gateway. Even at 02h30 in the morning they were polite an efficient, showing us to a new, spacious, comfortable and well thought out room. We slept well and breakfast was OK but with room for improvement.
I shuttled back to the airport to collect the car and let them share my disappointment at having to make a return trip to the airport. They calmed me down with the waiver of the $40 airport levy! Out to the carpark to find we have a little, and I mean little, Hyundai Gets. It has a most unflattering Registration plate: DUH68. I am late already and as I am renting the car and not buying it, I just keep on going back to the hotel.
The two suitcases just fit into the back and we get directions to the nearest shopping mall. Yours truly has forgotten the GPS at home. $150 later that oversight is sorted (I will sell it on eBay) and we are finally on our way.
The drive through Christchurch is fairly humdrum, being in the suburbs. We are very interested to see the city centre when we get back, as much of it was destroyed in the great earthquake of 2011.
It was slow going, as the general speed limit in built up areas is 50 kph and the weekend traffic was out in force. Also, there are no freeways on the South Island. Once clear of the suburbs, we noticed just how many small towns there are a long the road to Dunedin. There may be things to see and do but no major tourist draw cards are in evidence. It is fairly flat and the roads straight but at a point you drive parallel to the mountains in the distance. They are snowcapped and attractive, but I was comparing them, unfairly of course, to the Grand Tetons and the Rockies.
We stopped for lunch in Ashburton. We should not have. Second mealtime in New Zealand and, considering the prices, this is pretty poor dining.
It was about four and a half hours driving to Dunedin and with the late night and earlyish morning I was not fully alert and too late noticed Mr Plod on the side of the road. He greeted my advance with a display of his lights and he very politely gave me a ticket for $30. It was also the first day of our USA trip when I was pulled over in Washington State. He of course let me go!
Soon after that my accelerator leg cramped. Not the greatest start, but approaching Dunedin the scenery improved dramatically. The city of Dunedin is situated on hills surrounding the harbour. The buildings and houses are handsome and in good repair, many of them Victorian. There are many very grand public buildings and churches and it is altogether a very attractive place.
After a short rest at the hotel we walked around the corner to our selected restaurant to find what might have been every fire engine in the city outside, with hundreds of people in the street. The fire alarm ewas going and all restaurants in the complex, the Savoy Building, had been evacuated. We decided to try our luck elsewhere and as we walked around the corner we came across a bride, her groom and all the guests from their reception on the footpath. The fire engine there made a good prop for some wedding photos!
That part of Dunedin has many hostelries and we landed up in Bacchus, apparently the oldest noshery in town. Possibly the most expensive, too, but it was first class!
We enjoyed the short walk back to the hotel, passing the Anglican cathedral and city hall, both remarking that Dunedin is a very pleasant place.
Next stop: Invercargill.
Then, adding insult to injury, on arrival in Christchurch, our car rental company closed before we got there, notwithstanding we had called ahead before we left Melbourne. So a taxi was engaged to take us the few kilometres to our hotel, the Airport Gateway. Even at 02h30 in the morning they were polite an efficient, showing us to a new, spacious, comfortable and well thought out room. We slept well and breakfast was OK but with room for improvement.
I shuttled back to the airport to collect the car and let them share my disappointment at having to make a return trip to the airport. They calmed me down with the waiver of the $40 airport levy! Out to the carpark to find we have a little, and I mean little, Hyundai Gets. It has a most unflattering Registration plate: DUH68. I am late already and as I am renting the car and not buying it, I just keep on going back to the hotel.
The two suitcases just fit into the back and we get directions to the nearest shopping mall. Yours truly has forgotten the GPS at home. $150 later that oversight is sorted (I will sell it on eBay) and we are finally on our way.
The drive through Christchurch is fairly humdrum, being in the suburbs. We are very interested to see the city centre when we get back, as much of it was destroyed in the great earthquake of 2011.
It was slow going, as the general speed limit in built up areas is 50 kph and the weekend traffic was out in force. Also, there are no freeways on the South Island. Once clear of the suburbs, we noticed just how many small towns there are a long the road to Dunedin. There may be things to see and do but no major tourist draw cards are in evidence. It is fairly flat and the roads straight but at a point you drive parallel to the mountains in the distance. They are snowcapped and attractive, but I was comparing them, unfairly of course, to the Grand Tetons and the Rockies.
We stopped for lunch in Ashburton. We should not have. Second mealtime in New Zealand and, considering the prices, this is pretty poor dining.
It was about four and a half hours driving to Dunedin and with the late night and earlyish morning I was not fully alert and too late noticed Mr Plod on the side of the road. He greeted my advance with a display of his lights and he very politely gave me a ticket for $30. It was also the first day of our USA trip when I was pulled over in Washington State. He of course let me go!
Soon after that my accelerator leg cramped. Not the greatest start, but approaching Dunedin the scenery improved dramatically. The city of Dunedin is situated on hills surrounding the harbour. The buildings and houses are handsome and in good repair, many of them Victorian. There are many very grand public buildings and churches and it is altogether a very attractive place.
After a short rest at the hotel we walked around the corner to our selected restaurant to find what might have been every fire engine in the city outside, with hundreds of people in the street. The fire alarm ewas going and all restaurants in the complex, the Savoy Building, had been evacuated. We decided to try our luck elsewhere and as we walked around the corner we came across a bride, her groom and all the guests from their reception on the footpath. The fire engine there made a good prop for some wedding photos!
That part of Dunedin has many hostelries and we landed up in Bacchus, apparently the oldest noshery in town. Possibly the most expensive, too, but it was first class!
We enjoyed the short walk back to the hotel, passing the Anglican cathedral and city hall, both remarking that Dunedin is a very pleasant place.
Next stop: Invercargill.
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