Dunedin, New Zealand, 29-31 March 2008
Finally it was time to head on to the Scottish heart of NZ - Dunedin. Dunedin is gaelic for Edinburgh. There was no way Claire would have allowed us to leave NZ without spending a few days here. We spent day one just getting our bearings, wandering the various streets marvelling at the beautiful architecture (see train station picture opposite), and then took in a movie (Vantage Point). It was entertaining in a Hollywood kinda way,,,,which was just what we were looking for. I'm going to give it 6.5 out of ten. That's not bad.
Day 2 and it was time to get down to business. First stop Otago (that's what this region is called) University. It's the oldest in the country and was modeled on Glasgow University. It was very nice and felt like it had been around for a long long time. Stop 2 was Baldwin Street - The Steepest Street in the World. It's in the Guinness Book of Records so it must be true. It didn't really look that steep but then we walked to the top. "Yep, that's one steep street you got there". Stop 3 - The Cadbury Factory, every child's dream come true (regardless of age). I've wanted to visit a real working chocolate factory ever since Bosco went through the Magic Door many years ago (ask an aging Paddy if you're not sure what that's all about). It was class act all the way and there was plenty of free choc distributed along the way too. "Hmm, have we got time to do the tour again tomorrow?". Stop 4 - demonstration in support on Tibetan autonomy. A woman gave a very heartfelt speech on the current state of affairs and its relevance in light of the upcoming Olympic games in Beijing and an immanent free-trade agreement between NZ and China. Stop 5 - Speights Brewery tour. We booked the last one of the day (7pm) in the hope of getting a lock-in afterwards. Our guide was a maestro of the one-liners. He was very funny. It was a real whistle-stop tour until we got to the bar. The guide put on a DVD and told us we had until the video ended to pull and drink our own beers at the bar. There were 6 beers to choose from. Not sure how long the video was going to play for I, Dave, pulled a beer and immediately got back in line. By the time I got back around to the taps the beer would be gone and I was ready for my next sample. After about 6 beers it felt like the video was never going to end...and then it did. Good tour, good beer, good night, I'm drunk!!
Yup, tastes good
Finally it was time to head on to the Scottish heart of NZ - Dunedin. Dunedin is gaelic for Edinburgh. There was no way Claire would have allowed us to leave NZ without spending a few days here. We spent day one just getting our bearings, wandering the various streets marvelling at the beautiful architecture (see train station picture opposite), and then took in a movie (Vantage Point). It was entertaining in a Hollywood kinda way,,,,which was just what we were looking for. I'm going to give it 6.5 out of ten. That's not bad. 
Day 2 and it was time to get down to business. First stop Otago (that's what this region is called) University. It's the oldest in the country and was modeled on Glasgow University. It was very nice and felt like it had been around for a long long time. Stop 2 was Baldwin Street - The Steepest Street in the World. It's in the Guinness Book of Records so it must be true. It didn't really look that steep but then we walked to the top. "Yep, that's one steep street you got there". Stop 3 - The Cadbury Factory, every child's dream come true (regardless of age). I've wanted to visit a real working chocolate factory ever since Bosco went through the Magic Door many years ago (ask an aging Paddy if you're not sure what that's all about). It was class act all the way and there was plenty of free choc distributed along the way too. "Hmm, have we got time to do the tour again tomorrow?". Stop 4 - demonstration in support on Tibetan autonomy. A woman gave a very heartfelt speech on the current state of affairs and its relevance in light of the upcoming Olympic games in Beijing and an immanent free-trade agreement between NZ and China. Stop 5 - Speights Brewery tour. We booked the last one of the day (7pm) in the hope of getting a lock-in afterwards. Our guide was a maestro of the one-liners. He was very funny. It was a real whistle-stop tour until we got to the bar. The guide put on a DVD and told us we had until the video ended to pull and drink our own beers at the bar. There were 6 beers to choose from. Not sure how long the video was going to play for I, Dave, pulled a beer and immediately got back in line. By the time I got back around to the taps the beer would be gone and I was ready for my next sample. After about 6 beers it felt like the video was never going to end...and then it did. Good tour, good beer, good night, I'm drunk!!Yup, tastes good
Scottish Whisky Bar at the train station
The Cadbury delivery truck
Big kid in a chocolate factory
The Cadbury delivery truck
Big kid in a chocolate factory
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