Short road trip to Oamaru day 2

Up early and researched the Aussies  vs Wales rugby game on the net (they won [A]– just – bugger) when I saw the score for the All Blacks vs England – that was VERY depressing (especially as the Black Ferns also lost their match)!! Had quick breakfast and got gear together and headed of. First stop the info centre – which we discovered was still closed and remained so for another 40 minutes. Bugger this – decided not to waste more time and headed of towards Moeraki and their famous boulders. ma loves that place and to be fair it is pretty special.  We would often stop there just short of Dunedin when travelling with the boys when they were young – but these days the place just whizzes past – so good to take time out and visit. Parked the car and “paid” the voluntary donation of $2 and headed down towards the beach. Boulders pretty much the same since I saw them first in 1985 or so.  Place was busier though – lots of tourist clambering over them so hard to get a good picture with not a person in it that was NOT your wife.  Anyhow we decided that after last nights dinner we needed a good stroll and there was oodles of time so headed north along the beach – almost totally deserted.

Met a lovely couple along the way – who did not have much to say for themselves - couldn’t get a peep out of them! In the end we probably strolled 2km north  with the original boulders just a tiny speck on horizon – so turned around and headed back.  Still lots of foreigners climbing on and around the stones.
As an aside these days as a Kiwi you are very much a minority in your own country in the more popular touristy spots. 

 <-----  Not a local mermaid - and a typical scene at the boulders!!  :)
Compulsory  stop at the local souvenir store – where we found – yusss another badge!! Local sales person friendly especially when she found out we were kiwis and intended to head into Moeraki itself – small town - hmmm village!!  Drove there and yeah the houses and place was left behind somewhat.  However there IS a thriving fishing community and I am sure the locally caught fins are very tasty!!  Didn’t find anything remotely interesting to see or do so tried to find the lookout that was recommended from the sales lady at the Boulders.  Ended up on yet (sorry Mamabear) another shingle drive – and at the end there is the light house – still in working condition.  However you cannot go on top and admire the views – so back into town and seeing it was lunch decided to stop at the boulders café for a snack.  After yesterday's rather heavy lunch we just light lunch – sandwich and a slice of cake along with a drink.  Very nice and relaxing in the sun.  Again just another Kiwi couple there – the rest of the patrons all from overseas!!
After this  we headed back to Oamaru and checked out the local Info-centre – this time it was open - so had a good look – and YESSS found some more relevant badges for the camp blanket!! wohooo
Asked a question about the Oamaru stone quarry = but seems they do not take tours for small couples or groups – just large groups!! hmmmm
Had another stroll through town and then of to a local beach – for compulsory sand sample – then somewhat tiered back to our motel where Mamabear is relaxing and tanking up on her vitamin D while I try to find a suitable eatery for tonight via google!! Major bummer the Greek place is not open on Sunday's – so back to the drawing board!!
Incidentally the Motel unit has everything for two – plates / glasses / cutlery / bed / etc – but  N O  way of cooking anything on or with – eg no fry pan / stove / cooker / pots etc.  The closest you get to cooking would b a Microwave oven- and I don't use that for cooking and not that there was anything to cook in with.  It does have a mini fridge though so there are thanks for small mercies - and that was chilling down a bottle of white for later's.
We ended up going to a place called the Galleon  
→  http://www.galleoncomplex.co.nz/ 

- weird – we were the only guests eating there and the two waiters having a sit down at a table and a good chinwag – and by the time we left around 8 pm they closed up shop even though their website calls it open 'till late. Even weirder and somewhat amusing to Mamabear was the fact that on the premises was held a meeting of a church called 'The Blue Penguin Church'.  I had to google THAT one!!!  
The place was not recommended to  us by the motel owner and if we had read the review before we went there might have thought twice about it – but what came out was good and eat-able, although I can easily see how the bad reviews can come about!!  Back home to a glass of white and cheese and some r+r and then we decide if we want to go home the long way – inland or go straight along the coast.  This would depend on the weather tomorrow thou . . . . .

About 2 km north from the boulders - this rather messy area - seldom seen by many tourists, and a typical beach scene in North Otago.  There is a mythology from the local Maori tribes on how they came to be, and then there is the scientific version - but I let you google that!!  :)