Bluff

The Bluff lodge in Bluff, New Zealand reminds me of what New Zealand was like in 1989. For one it is not full. There’s just a few backpackers coming from or going to Stuart Island as the ferry port is right across the street. It's got plenty of character with an especially friendly owner. It has an odd layout, an unusual use of space, and makeshift remodeling to make it somewhat like hotel. The building was constructed in 1899 and is located on the main road. It once served as a post office. The Victorian painted brick and mortar architecture of the lodge is similar to something you might see in the American West.

Yesterday it was windy and rainy as Will and I rolled down southeast coast backroads. We stopped in the city of Dunedin for a walk in the rain and a venison burger at Velvet burger. We then drove on and stumbled across the lost gypsy which consisted of all kinds of contraptions created by an eccentric artist. Small items were displayed in an old bus while larger items filled a park. A small fixed trailer café served up coffee and foods by a very friendly Thai lady with knack for getting people to spend money.

As evening approached we inquired at a couple of places for accommodation but everything was booked. We kept going until we arrived near the southernmost point of the South Island and a backpacker hostel to find it full despite it’s fairly remote location. With cold rain wind we really did not want to camp.

Right next to the hostel we saw a sign advertising a place to stay at a house. I knocked on the door and a really friendly big guy that looked like a biker answered. I then noticed his pit bull in the yard. I asked if he had an accommodation. He looked up as to think for a moment then replied yes and told me to meet him at the side door. Attached to his home was a two bedroom apartment. One room had two beds. It also had a nice big bathroom and a small basic kitchen space. It was obviously set up as a vacation rental. I asked how much and he said $50 NZD which is about $34 USD. Will said we would take it. The owner said he just needed to freshen up the place a bit and went to the bathroom to collect used towels on the floor. I paid and we stayed.

It was kind of a funny deal but it was nice and clean enough with horrible weather taken into consideration. We suspected the rental was something that may have been managed by the wife but we never saw a wife. After dinner we watched a couple of DVD’s. I didn't sleep well, which seems to be the norm these days, and Will's sporadic snoring didn't help.

Will speaks very good English with a thick French accent and has fairly typical look for someone from the South of France with average height, dark hair, slim build and sculpted facial features. Naturally he drinks coffee and smokes the occasional cigarette. We have talked so much that I am starting to think with a French accent, if that makes sense. There’s not too much discussion on the topic as to where we are going and what we are doing because that might get in the way of what can happen.

Tomorrow we will take the ferry over to Stuart Island. Will was in the French Navy for ten years and the topic of discussion this evening was seasickness. It takes an hour to cross the channel to Stuart Island and the water is very rough right now. It will be interesting to see how I fare. I am still managing the Meniere’s ok with no vertigo but my right ear is feeling a little full which isn’t a good sign. The upside is that I will be going to one of the best places to see an elusive Kiwi of the bird kind.