18 Oct: Tires and Trains

This is the last day of week 5; only two-plus to go. Today started out not well. Yesterday before leaving Aoraki we noted a soft left-rear tire and pumped it up. This morning it was even softer, almost flat. Clearly needed to get it fixed, but Sunday morning in Dunedin is not the best place to get a tire repaired. The staff at the campground tried to help; they gave us addresses of two nearby tire places and we very slowly and carefully drove to each, but they were not open. OK, next thing is to change to the spare (which is the one we flatted and had repaired in week 1), but changing a tire on this rig is a nasty job. So we called for AA roadside assistance. They charged nz$95 and it was well worth it, to have a cheerful guy with a decent jack do the job instead of David crawling around on wet asphalt.

The AA guy was able to tell us of a tire place that was open on a Sunday morning, too. So at 10:30am we dropped the bad tire off there with another cheerful and helpful mechanic (just about everybody we've dealt with in NZ is cheerful and helpful: a sunny "No problem!" is their favorite phrase). We stopped by again at 1:30pm and he reinstalled the repaired tire. Charge for repair and balance: nz$30, and nothing for the install and putting the spare back in the inconvenient under-chassis rack.

"No problems, mate, all part of the job!"

Between 11 and 1 we had a tour of a fine old home, "Olveston." Built by a prosperous merchant in 1904, it was bequeathed to the city by the last surviving family member and is maintained just as it was, with all period furnishings in place as well as tons of collectibles and art. We were given an informative guided tour but not allowed to take pictures.

We also drove up to Signal Hill to look at the city. The city center, the Octagon, is at the right, just above the dark tree.

On the way down we drove by the famous Steepest Street. It's very steep. And once again we proved that steep things, streets, trails, cliffs, never look steep in photographs. So no picture. From there we visited the city art museum which is a very nice building full of (we thought) pretty dreadful art. By then it was time to pick up the tire and get on the train!

We were ticketed for the ride up the Taieri Gorge (pron. "tie ree"). This is a branch line that was built in 1890 to support the gold fields, remaining in commercial service until 1991. Now a nonprofit runs daily sightseeing trips out of the city station. Speaking of the Dunedin railway station: yesterday we got it under clouds; here it is in the sun.

Gorgeous, huh? Inside it is all majolica tiles on the walls and little mosaics on the floor.

TICKETS is molded into the tile over the window.

All little mosaics, not big tiles.

The train starts out rolling through the typical indecently bucolic farming country.

Is it any surprise they're all cheerful?

Highlight is crossing the 50-meter-high Wingatui viaduct.

As seen on the way up.

Later, on the return trip.

At another trestle they let the passengers get out and cross on foot.

And admire the stonework the old dudes did.

Then it continues on up this dramatic gorge.

So, that was pretty fun. Tomorrow is another day around Done Eatin'.