Oamaru

Yesterday I cut east across the south island from Gelorchy to Oamaru (about midway between Christchurch and Dunedin).
The lupin gave me a wonderful sendoff:

The drive took about five hours and by the time I got into Oamaru I was ready for some lunch so I promptly made my way to Whitestone Cheese Factory . As a rule I don't eat much cheese any more due to concerns about cholesterol but I couldn't pass this up. Oh, cheese - how I've missed you! The award-wining Windsor Blue was my favorite followed by the Aged Totora Tasty Cheddar. Delicious!

Cholesterol be damned!
After lunch I wondered around the historic section of town. Found some yummy alpaca yarn and a neat shop that builds working penny farthings! They even have an annual race around town on these things. The shop owner claims to take 80km rides on the roads around town. They had one set up (one a stand) so I had to check it out for myself. I don't see this becoming a hobby for me, one shoulder surgery is plenty, thank you!

In the evening I hiked out to Bushy Beach with hopes of catching a glimpse of the endangered Hoiho or Yellow-Eyed Penguin. There is a small colony of about 20 that nest in the cliffs here.

After standing on a lookout platform in FREEZING and strong winds I had seen three tumble out of the surf and waddle up the beach but it was from such a distance that it was a bit disappointing. Then this little fellow plopped onto the beach below the platform (which is rather high up in the bluff/cliff above the beach).

I felt pretty lucky to get to see one more close up and thought to myself, I'll wait another 15 min and then I'll head back before my nose falls off. Well, good things certainly do come to those who wait because just about 15 min later this face popped out of the bushes about 40 feet from the lookout:

Oh my goodness, what charisma!

He gingerly made his way along a path and RIGHT in front of where I was standing, not more than two feet away from me!

He gave a little wave and tucked into the bushes:

They really do have yellow-eyes!

They are considered to be medium-sized, this one was probably about two feet tall. They mate for life, are called hoiho (means noisy in Maori) because they sing loud silly songs, travel enormous distances to work (swim 40 km out to the sea shelf each morning to eat and then back every night) and love to shake their tail feathers.... hmmmmm who does this remind me of?

So, I've decided that come Tuesday the blog will be renamed: Kiwi Kiki and Hoiho Hubby
After the Hoiho watching I went down to the local harbor to the Blue Penguin Colony . Here you buy a ticket for $22NZ and get to sit on some benches near a small rocky beach where the local colony of 200 blue penguins come ashore every evening. I got really lucky- again!- because a small "raft" of penguins came home very early (probably to miss rush hour) so I got to see them while there was still light. They really are blue and they seem pretty silly with all their waddling and pruning and calling out to each other. They hope up from the beach an across and wide dirt patch up to a bunch of man made wooden box nests. They come to shore in groups of about 20-30. I was rather surprised that they float when they get near shore looking sort of like ducks. I guess I only think about penguins rocketing deftly underwater or milling about on two feet on the shore. They were incredibly entertaining and numerous. My favorite part was when I was returning to the car to see a couple in the parking lot together and a few along the side of the road (they ask us to check under the car before heading out and to drive very slowly with lights off until you reach the main road). It was a penguin-packed evening (started at Bushy Beach at 5:45 and got back to the holiday park around 10:30) and a fun experience.

Today I am going to head south to Dunedin and stay at a bed & breakfast because after about 25 days sleeping in my van I need a break!!! Going to try and get some laundry done, get a hair cut and squeeze in a few Bikram yoga classes before picking Justin up on Tuesday night. Not sure if I'll post before then.