The Otago Peninsula encloses a large natural bay with the town of Dunedin at the head.

  

The peninsula is a wild windswept place where albatrosses breed and sheep and grass tussocks cling to the hills above the sea.

 

There’s a lighthouse on Taiaroa Head above crystal clear kelp beds where you can watch the shadowy underwater forms of sea lions pass gracefully over the seafloor.

After a quick morning inspection we turned our van north towards the foot hills of the Southern Alps.   We were taking the high road to see the mountains, while Zak and Kim were sticking to the low road in search of whales.  We were to meet the next day in Picton.

We passed more green fields speckled with sheep and cows, and found valleys full of doe-eyed deer farms.

After a full day of driving we hid the caterpillar behind some bushes in a state park,

and grilled up a double ration of lamb chops.

Well rested from our woodland sleep, we hit the rode again the next morning, climbing out of the pastures and up toward an alpine pass named after Arthur.