In the second half of the 19th century ist was the gold, leading the early settlers into central Otago along the Clutha river. A lot of historic cold mining sites are reminding of those times. And even today we saw a riverboat that filters stones from the riverbed finding little bits of gold.
We also have found a treasure – it was wonderful to move in this region and even with hardly no traffic. On a very quiete road and then following the Clutha Gold trail and the Central Otago Rail trail. The surrounding has become dry again and wast however with many soft barren hills/ridges, on which sun and clouds created an artistic picture ! And the river itself flows strong undistracted ist way. It was great to see this deep, dark blue powerful water mass. We found a lot of sheepcountry and stonefruit along the rivers. In the forest we also tried the sweetest blackberries ever.
The central Otage rail trail is the first cycle path installed on a former railwayline, is well known and the New Zealander are proud of it. The path is well signaled, mantained accordingly and we met a lots of fellow cyclists. Only few though with luggage. It was an appropriate final section to our cycling tour in New Zealand.
These days we ended upo having the same itinary as an Australian couple and we had many happy meals together. We also were introduced into some Australian slang such as «a dingo´s breakfast»… The two rented a car in Dunedin and invited us on a ride out the Otage Peninsula. There at the far end is a well protected breeding place of the great albatorsses. We stood outside that area observing few seals on this perfect sunny day and saw lots of albatrosses, that turned out tob e seagulls on a closer look. Then suddenly on of the big seabirds with a wing span of 3.3m circled over our heads, once, twice before flying out onto the ocean. Just some calm strong strokes of those wings it needed…
Thank you Nat and Ern!
