To DunedinOct 19, 2005
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Photo Captions later
Christchurch to Dunedin - 357 KM 10/19/05
Picked up the Maui's at 9 am. They were delivered to our hotel, and this time we got a good orientation before we loaded our gear. But, good wasn't good enough in my case. The one I got was used for orientation and the auto trans was left in power range. It sounded like the engine was overreving, and I only got 5 forward gears. Stopped for the grocery fill and looked the dash over, discovered "economy" range, reset and took off only to find the same loud engine noise and 5 forward gears. Didn't want to get too far with a bad tranny, so called the number on the dash, which was a Ford tech somewhere. When we finally communicated - after he had paused to confer with someone else 3 times - he said it only had 5, and yes 3000 rpm was correct at 90 KPH (the Mercedes units in Australia had 6 forward gears and turned 2500 at 90 KPH). So, my ears have to suffer.
Very scenic drive to Dunedin (Dn-eed-n). NZ has 41 million sheep, so lots in the emrald green fields. Many of the fields are lined with cedars trimmed as hedges - many of which are 30+ feet high. Very scenic, but no pulloffs for photos. The second half brought hills and yellow flowered bushes that looked like the Scots broom of the NW, but the leaves all end in thorns.
We stopped to see the Moeraki Boulder Scenic Reserve (Reserve is used for Park or Forest). They are large round rocks, up to 2 meters in diameter, that have dividing sections. Possibly alien eggs left at some time in the past. The drive into the Caravan Park in Dunedin was like driving the worst hills in San Francisco. The Maui's could barely climb the hills. Starting uphill after a stoplight was a real thrill.
Some of the Artic Center has rubbed off. We've gone from the tropical Australian climate to 5 degrees C (41F). Some reported snowflakes mixed with the raindrops that fell overnight. That's the reason NZ Maui's have heaters instead of Air Conditioners!
