Three days in Dunedin is about two more than you really need to visit the city. This means we had plenty of time on our hands and very few things to do.
Started the day with an expedition to what would be best described as an attached suburb of Dunedin, a.k.a. Maori Hill. We were attracted by a well-reviewed cafe and the chance to get off the main street (George Street) and into the octagon (the bar and restaurant zone). The fact that Google Maps told us it would be a 25-minute walk to and a 15-minute walk back should have helped us understand how steep a climb it would be, but no, we underestimated the climb. By the time we got to the restaurant, we were sticky and sweaty, wondering if we should have brought some climbing gear (not really, but despite the cool weather, we were). The meal was well worth our walk, and No7Balmac will remain in the best places to go for breakfast in the city, next to Capers.
Well rested and filled with calories, we made our way back home and rested from the dreaded thong wedgies. If you are wondering what those are, that’s when the strap from one’s thong sandals gets embedded in the space between the big and second toe while going down a very steep hill. Get your mind out of the gutter, people.
After our rest, we went on a scenic train ride in the mountains as a diversion from the town we already know so well. It’s NOT a train you want to take to travel between Dunedin and anywhere in New Zealand, as it slows down for pictures. There’s a running commentary about what you should be seeing and how much you should be appreciating the restoration of the 1900s train car you’re sitting in (no easy window operation for you, dear passenger). Also, the train really is a round trip to nowhere - literally. The end of the track is a formerly populated station village, and there is no sign of civilization to be seen. Other than being treated to windows that are not well set in their frames, so they close at random, we did get about 40 minutes of gorgeous views in a gorge. Not sure it was worth the 4-hour train ride for 20 minutes looking at a gorge one way and 20 minutes looking at it the other way. The pictures do tell a good story.
All in all, if you’re a train nerd, this is a must. Everyone else, drive around New Zealand, you’ll be just as amazed by the scenery.