From Fiordland to the Coast

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A Leisurely Start & a Surprise Bird Sanctuary Visit

After the past few days of non-stop adventure, we enjoyed a slow morning at the campground, taking our time with two cups of coffee before setting out.

On a whim, we made an unscheduled stop at a nearby bird sanctuary right in Te Anau, and it turned out to be an amazing find, completely free! We got to see some incredible birds, but the highlight was definitely the Takahē, an extremely rare and fascinating species native to New Zealand (only 300 left in the entire world). It was a serene and peaceful place, and we were glad we took the detour.

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Sheep, Playgrounds & a Sandwich Mishap in Gore

As we continued our drive, we pulled over at a rest stop to admire a flock of sheep, because, well, it’s New Zealand, and it felt like a requirement at this point! (Seriously…SOOOO many sheep in NZ. Did I mention there are 4 to 5 sheep per person in NZ?)

Our next planned stop was the town of Gore, where we had lunch, refueled the van, and let Xander burn off some energy at a playground.

For lunch, we ate at a small café called Capri Restaurant, and the food was delicious:

• I had a BLT with egg, which hit the spot.
• Xander got a hot dog (a corndog in Canada), freshly made just for him.
• Sarah… well, Sarah accidentally ordered a cheese and onion sandwich, thinking it was cheese and eggsalad. The look on her face when she realized what she had ordered was hilarious—not quite what she was expecting! Xander made sure to bug her about it for the rest of the trip and to this day still back here in Canada 🤣

Gore itself had a peaceful, small-town charm. While it was slightly touristy, it still felt relaxing and authentic, a nice little stop before we carried on.

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Heading to Dunedin – Frisbee & First Impressions

After lunch, we filled up on gas and continued the 1.5-2 hour drive toward Dunedin.

Along the way, we stopped at a rest area, where Xander and I tossed a frisbee around while Sarah relaxed in the shade. It was nice to stretch our legs and enjoy the fresh air before the final leg of the drive.

As we descended into Dunedin, the first glimpse of the city was breathtaking, it sits on the banks of a lagoon/ocean, appearing much larger and grander than I expected. So far, this was my favorite major city in New Zealand.

The city was full of historical buildings and had a rich sense of history and character. One spot that caught my attention was Hotel Cook, which first opened in 1880, a piece of the past still standing strong.

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Freedom Camping by the Ocean

We drove 20 minutes outside the city to a freedom camping site, tucked away in the back roads near a small coastal community (Warrington Reserve). It was an absolutely beautiful location:

• Plenty of open space
• A playground right next to our spot (perfect for Xander)
• A beach with the softest, finest sand I’ve ever walked on

Though the wind was strong, we still ventured out to see the massive waves, seabirds, and dramatic coastline one last time before dark.

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D&D, a Movie, & an Early Night

Before bed, we had another fun D&D session, run by Sarah, which led to plenty of laughs.

We also finished watching In Time, then called it an early night, knowing that tomorrow would be a long drive into Christchurch—the final stretch of our journey.

As always, you only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. Embrace the adventure, cherish the memories, and I’ll catch you tomorrow for day 15 and the last leg of the trip!

#NewZealandAdventure #LordOfTheRings #DreamTrip #Travel #40thBirthday #MiddleEarth #BucketList #AdventureAwaits

-Rob ❤️