Oamaru to Geraldine

I’ve just realised how long it’s been since I updated this blog, so now I’m having to piece together what we’ve actually been up to over the past few weeks!
Oamaru was such a cool place to visit. We stayed at the racecourse for two nights and spent our time wandering around the town. One of the highlights was definitely the Steampunk HQ museum — quirky, creative and just plain fun. Steampunk is basically a weird and wonderful sci-fi world where futuristic technology meets Victorian England, all powered by steam and imagination. Think “what people in the 1800s imagined the future might look like.”
We also caught up with Neil’s cousin Jocelyn and her hubby Paul at the Salvation Army. The funniest part was that she didn’t recognise Neil at first!
After Oamaru, we debated where to head next. Neither of us were particularly keen on staying in Timaru (although we did stop there to stock up on essentials), so we ended up at a tiny freedom camping spot near Temuka called Winchester Bridge. Best decision ever. We’d barely parked up and let the dogs out when a gorgeous GSP named Rocket came bounding over to say hello, followed closely by his owner Andrew from Whitianga apologising for the enthusiastic welcome. The dogs had a blast playing together, and we ended up having great company for the evening.
I also attempted — unsuccessfully — to rescue a wee feral kitten living beside the river. Unfortunately the dogs were far too interested in chasing the poor little thing.
The next morning we headed into Geraldine, which really surprised us. For such a small town, it has a lot going on and a surprising amount of industry. Definitely one of those places that feels much bigger than it actually is.Read more