The Catlins

I have always wanted to spend time in the Catlins but I always imagined it would be sunshine while we strolled on the beaches, took in the views from the headlands and walked in the forests.  We drove through the Catlins in gorgeous sunshine last Sunday but by the afternoon the bad weather was settling in.  Since then it has been overcast, cold and mostly rainy and windy.  We have pretty much been inside the bus with the heater on.  Malcolm has been working and I've been reading and doing a bit of writing.

 On Tuesday we spent the day in Invercargill, dodging the rain and wind as we did some shopping.  We did spend time in the museum which was interesting - mainly finding out about people shipwrecked in the sub-antarctic conditions of the Auckland Islands.  Malcolm suggested we should beat the Invercargill weather and get ourselves some sealskin clothing like the castaways did.  I am amazed that so many did survive for many months in those conditions.

a mob of sheep flocking about in the road

 

Niagara Falls - look carefully!

 

McLean Falls, more substantial

 

Purakaunui Falls - that's where all the rain goes

 

Malcolm at Nugget Point

 

a seal or sea lion leaping at Nugget Point

that's Nugget Point lighthouse beside my head

 

you wind a handle and this motor bike riding sheep opens and closes it's mouth and laughs

 

pedal-powered tv viewing

 

Cathedral Caves - they are amazing

teapotland - what more can I say?

 

We returned to Niagara Falls, as the camp site we at were near Invercargill at was costing us just to park there.  The reason we stayed was they had phone coverage there so we could get the internet.   Here it's cheaper but no phone coverage.  I have run out of books to read and can't download any onto my kobo without internet.  We can watch tourists spend about 2 mins looking at the Niagara Falls of New Zealand and today risked the weather to go for lunch at the Niagara Falls cafe, which is in the old school.

Finally!  The weather on Saturday turned sunny as forecast.  We were up at 6.30 ready to pack everything into one day.  We didn't get to go and see everything but we certainly did lots.  First we went to see a couple of waterfalls and a lake.  Then we went to Jack's blowhole, which is a chasm and obviously blows salt water when the wind and tide are strong.  We went to a couple of beaches and also the lighthouse at Nugget Point where we watched seals cavorting.  We went to visit the Organic Mechanic who has an old gypsy bus full of mechanical things he's concocted and for $5 you can go up the garden path and look at all his weird  and wonderful contraptions.  One area has an old piano and every key is wired up to something that makes a sound, there's false teeth, a jerry can that bangs, bits of radio, a head with a wig that shakes it's beads...etc.  That was a lot of fun.  Then we went to the famous Cathedral Caves - they were worth seeing too, even though you have to pay $5 entry.

Today it is raining again....