Into the asylum
From a former maternity hospital to a former asylum. Kiwi hostels come in all shapes and sizes. Or maybe it's just a ruse and we're not going to be let out of this one...
Having been in a different place every might for a good few days we decided to have a few days doing not much (except for our washing) in one place. Unfortunately, the first place we booked didn't live up to the advertisement. There were TVs in the rooms, but these weren't connected to an aerial. There were views, but not from the hostel. There was a pub on-site, but it wasn't open on a Sunday...
But then kiwis know all about marketing. After spending Monday morning on a deserted beach making beach art, fishing and skimming stones (it's a hard life) we headed down the coast to see the Moreaki Boulders. The boulders are pretty well known as a 'must do' experience in this neck of the woods. But, to be honest, they are just a dozen or so round boulders on a beach. The kind you would point to whilst walking past and go 'hey - those boulders are quite round'. Very pretty shapes, but not worthy of the hype.
The boulders do, however, happen to be on yet another very stunning Kiwi beach. Miles of beautiful sand and gentle waters. So, whilst everyone else walked the 500m from the car park, took pics of each other standing on the boulders, and trudged back to their cars and buses, Alec and I wondered further up the empty stretch of beach, stripped down to our undies and had a lovely swim. Some people can't see a good opportunity when it's staring them in the face.
What Moreaki should be famous for is the great, free penguin viewing available at the lighthouse. But you don't get told about that in Omaru as they prefer you to pay for a penguin experience in the town. Armed with a map from the guys at the Asylum Backpackers in Seacliff we headed back to Moreaki yesterday evening to watch the penguins come in from a hard days hunting.
We had been told to head down to the hide first of all, but then to follow an unmarked track round the coast for a better person to penguin ratio. Down at the hide we spent a good 15 minutes watching the antics of the many, many fur seals on the beach and a sole penguin slowly making his way uphill to his bed. Back up on the track it was a slightly different story. Not only was the evening light turning everything a beautiful colour, there were more seals than I have ever seen in my life (including up on the hill) and about 15-20 penguins all in all.
It's moulting season for penguins at the moment so some of them looked like cuddly toys belonging to an over enthusiastic child - all shaggy and tufty. They were all making their own way uphill individually and stopped often to cool down on the warm evening. Some just sat and watched you was you walked past keeping a respectable distance. Others took no notice and continued waddling uphill.
And, below us, seals bellowed at each other and seal pups tumbled in somersaults and did headstands in the big rockpools. It was pretty special seeing such beautiful animals, so close in their natural habitat. And it was an especially beautiful sunset, out on the small peninsular, surrounded by water.
And, just when we thought it couldn't get any better we noticed a big orange globe on the horizon. Kind of the size and colour of the sun, but we were facing east. It took us a couple of moments to realise that it was the moon rising. I am not sure if it was such a golden orange colour because of the sunset or down to the after-effects of the lunar eclipse (that NZ just missed out on) the night before. Whichever, it was very beautiful. We headed back in the dark listening to Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Not bad for a Monday night...
Having been in a different place every might for a good few days we decided to have a few days doing not much (except for our washing) in one place. Unfortunately, the first place we booked didn't live up to the advertisement. There were TVs in the rooms, but these weren't connected to an aerial. There were views, but not from the hostel. There was a pub on-site, but it wasn't open on a Sunday...
But then kiwis know all about marketing. After spending Monday morning on a deserted beach making beach art, fishing and skimming stones (it's a hard life) we headed down the coast to see the Moreaki Boulders. The boulders are pretty well known as a 'must do' experience in this neck of the woods. But, to be honest, they are just a dozen or so round boulders on a beach. The kind you would point to whilst walking past and go 'hey - those boulders are quite round'. Very pretty shapes, but not worthy of the hype.The boulders do, however, happen to be on yet another very stunning Kiwi beach. Miles of beautiful sand and gentle waters. So, whilst everyone else walked the 500m from the car park, took pics of each other standing on the boulders, and trudged back to their cars and buses, Alec and I wondered further up the empty stretch of beach, stripped down to our undies and had a lovely swim. Some people can't see a good opportunity when it's staring them in the face.
What Moreaki should be famous for is the great, free penguin viewing available at the lighthouse. But you don't get told about that in Omaru as they prefer you to pay for a penguin experience in the town. Armed with a map from the guys at the Asylum Backpackers in Seacliff we headed back to Moreaki yesterday evening to watch the penguins come in from a hard days hunting.
We had been told to head down to the hide first of all, but then to follow an unmarked track round the coast for a better person to penguin ratio. Down at the hide we spent a good 15 minutes watching the antics of the many, many fur seals on the beach and a sole penguin slowly making his way uphill to his bed. Back up on the track it was a slightly different story. Not only was the evening light turning everything a beautiful colour, there were more seals than I have ever seen in my life (including up on the hill) and about 15-20 penguins all in all.
It's moulting season for penguins at the moment so some of them looked like cuddly toys belonging to an over enthusiastic child - all shaggy and tufty. They were all making their own way uphill individually and stopped often to cool down on the warm evening. Some just sat and watched you was you walked past keeping a respectable distance. Others took no notice and continued waddling uphill.And, below us, seals bellowed at each other and seal pups tumbled in somersaults and did headstands in the big rockpools. It was pretty special seeing such beautiful animals, so close in their natural habitat. And it was an especially beautiful sunset, out on the small peninsular, surrounded by water.
And, just when we thought it couldn't get any better we noticed a big orange globe on the horizon. Kind of the size and colour of the sun, but we were facing east. It took us a couple of moments to realise that it was the moon rising. I am not sure if it was such a golden orange colour because of the sunset or down to the after-effects of the lunar eclipse (that NZ just missed out on) the night before. Whichever, it was very beautiful. We headed back in the dark listening to Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Not bad for a Monday night...
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