More travel updates and trivia.
+In emergencies, in England you dial 999, in America 911, and in New Zealand 111.
+Shopping carts are called trundlers here.
+Savory scones are popular here in addition to fruit scones. I had one today that had tomato, spinach and cheese all mixed into it.
+There are only two mountain ranges that run truly north-south in the world. One is the Rocky Mountains in the US; the other is the Southern Alps here in NZ.
+Took early bus from Te Anau to Dunedin. Dunedin was settled by Scottish immigrants and is nicknamed the Edinburgh of the South.
+I've heard at least two people use the word "wee" here to mean small as they do in Scotland. Old habits die hard, I guess.
+Bus journey to Dunedin was beautiful, the norm for NZ.
+Passed through town of Gore, which coincidentally is not far from the town of Clinton. The highway is called the Clinton-Gore highway. Any guesses why!
+Gore was home of the hokinui moonshine whiskey museum.
+Passed through Lumsden, home of the man who developed the kind of grass which is now used at Lords Cricket Ground and Wimbledon.
+Staying at a hostel/backpacker place called Hogwartz.
+Dunedin was also settled by Chinese immigrants. As a tribute, the center of town is built in the shape of an octagon, the number eight being lucky in Chinese culture.
+Surprisingly impressive museums in Dunedin. Also home of NZ's first university, the University of Otago. Very nice campus. I also walked around the student union building there.
+Dunedin's railway station is supposedly most-photographed building in NZ.
+Took the Elm Wildlife Tour of Otago Peninsula. Saw beautiful scenery (surprise, suprise). Also on the tour, went to private beaches to see wildlife: Royal Albatross (the only albatross colony anywhere in the world that is based on the mainland), Hooker Sealions (the rarest of the world's five species of sealions), Yellow-Eyed Penguins (the rarest of the world's 18 species of penguins), black swans, paradise shelducks, and fur seals. Had no idea the trip would involve hiking up and down some v-e-r-y steep hills.
+Was surprised to see the penguins hiking up the steep hills. Even more suprised to see the penguins hiking up the steep hills alongside the sheep and lambs. They seem to get along together quite well.
+The penguins are considered "forest birds" here. They spend their days swimming in water in search of food and their evenings in their nests in the steep hills.
+Rode the Taieri Gorge Railway described as "one of the world's great train trips". Is mind-blowing how folk can build a railroad seemingly clinging to the mountainside with steep drops down to the river below.
+Met a NZ woman called Vivienne, and we went together on the train ride. We were the only ones in the carriage, so consider we had our own private carriage. The only way to travel.
+Vivienne's son Jeff gave us a tour of the Otago Daily Times newspaper and Channel 9 news station, where he works.
+Visited the Cadbury chocolate factory in Dunedin. Got a goodie bag of chocolate and learned how chocolate was made.
+Saw the world's only free fall of chocolate.
+The purple color of Cadbury was adopted by Cadbury after he received permission from the Queen of England to use the color (it's a royal color). Cadbury presented the Queen with a huge amount of chocolate!
+I've noticed that Cadbury chocolate tastes different in England and NZ vs. America. I asked why and was told that the recipe is exactly the same, the different is the result of the diet of the cows - grass-fed vs. corn-fed. Who knew?
+Have bus booked to Lake Tekapo on Wednesday and from there to Mt. Cook on Thursday.
