Around Otago, Vol 2. & Routeburn Panoramas

Hey everybody,
Like I mentioned earlier, I am going to be posting about some of the things that I have been doing around casa Dunedin over the past few months. This will follow a format similar to that of the first post like this.

Before I get into all of that however, I just got some really awesome panorama pictures from my trip on the Routeburn a couple of weeks ago. I'll post them here to give you all an even better look at what it was like. The first two pictures here have problems in thumbnail version, so be sure to click in for the full panorama.

Routeburn Panoramas:

This first one is from Harris Lake, near the top of Harris saddle at the highest point of the hike.

This next picture is from the opposite side of Harris Saddle, looking south towards the Darren Range, that runs to the Tasman Sea and the fiords. 

This one is another view of the Darren's, looking southeast.

Next is a look at Lake Mackenzie from the side trip up Conical Hill from Harris Saddle.

Finally, this shot is from the top of Conical Hill, above Harris Saddle and looking out over the Southern Alps.

Around Otago: vol. 2

Tunnel Beach: Tunnel Beach is pretty much in Dunedin proper, but despite this lack of remoteness, it is still fairly cool. The Pacific Ocean has carved out an amazing land formation at the site, which gives the beach its name. 

Golf at Chisholm Links: This is a pretty cool golf course in Dunedin, very near tunnel beach. It runs along some great coastline, and the green fees were cheap enough that I could have, if I had enough time, played there often. We ended up finishing 18 in the midst of a great sunset too. I was surprisingly playing bogey golf that day as well, despite never really playing the sport. This is a hobby I could get used to. 

Mt. Cargill and the Organ Pipes: The highest point in Dunedin, this is something that you really need to do if you spend a significant amount of time in the city. There really isn't anything special about Mt. Cargill, but the Organ Pipes are crazy, hexagonal rock formations that jut up from the earth and stick jaggedly into the sky. These were what made the day trip worthwhile. As a side note, on the way back I visited Baldwin st., the steepest street in the world, with a 35% grade. 

Sandfly Bay: A horrible name for a cool place. Out on the Otago Peninsula, this is one of the best places to see blue penguin without the crowds, because it is a half hour hike to reach the ocean's edge. We were lucky enough to see quite a few penguin coming in from fishing for the night, and though the picture doesn't show it well, trust me, its a penguin. In the wild. No lie. 

Alright, thanks everyone. I have one week of class left, and then finals. Our car just failed the warrant-of-fitness test, and we can't re-register the car to continue driving without the warrant. So it seems like this might be the end of the Bluebird, and the end of my unconstrained travels in Aotearoa. I am not sure when I will get out of town next, but I will be looking to do something early in the dead-week prior to final exams. Less than 4 weeks until my repatriation now, which feels nice. Check back in a couple of weeks for at least one more post.

Cheers,

Jake