Why indeed, not something I ever expected. I thought that only happened at home in the past, but no, its here and now to! Why am I bored, even as some suggested here in New Zealand? Well, it seems a day to travel for just one day or part day tour, for me at least.  Not being a walker/cycler/ tramper (hiker in English) my days are not full except of waiting around.

Settlers Museum of old items from the cities past, and Europe. Old style typing that is familiar to me! 

The south island is less busy for me, with only a few specifics to do like Milford Sound, trans pennine scenic train, Abel Tasman national park and the glaciers at Fox and Franz Josef.

In between – unless I travel 8-10 hours in a day – there are towns/cities to stop over but very little to do in the, especially without a car. And I have taken a month on each island, so on the restrictive ticket that Trailfinders Manchester sold me, I am struggling to get my flights changed which I had to book so far ahead, without knowing how long I wanted to spend places, and leave early like now, or later if I wanted to like S America maybe.

(see frustrated travel customer post)

Invercargill centre at the Octagon, looking toward the station

So I am stuck here, this time in Invercargill on the south coast of the south island, only another small island off the coast, of the southern most none ice covered land! Now, having visited ‘same, same but different’ cities in New Zealand – same shops, town styles, one main road through town and iSites – waiting to get to the next place and on to exciting experiences. I hope! Only for a day, and a lovely park to wander round in the sunshine but no public transport like buses, other than scheduled ones like Naked or Intercity, except around the edge of town (more than in some towns I visited!) and definitely not out to Bluff on the coastal edge unless private ferry shuttle at three specified times a day, booked well ahead and quite costly at $99 each way (!!!), or you have rented a car or van, with expensive gas/petrol I hear! And then its walking or kayaking generally, up high mountains (or steps 😯) and now, same same views.

Little goes on in the towns, some are like backwater towns rather than cities, even with a city population of thousands they are more spread out! these are not vibrant like Manchester or other cities outside London as well as our capital! Just not enough people I guess! The population is 120,000 even in Dunedin which has been the most ‘happening’ place Ive visited as yet! Only a few thousand people in some towns or even cities down here, the furtherest south you can get before the south pole or …

Even the NZ invention of bungy jumping was developed to create stimulating activity for people here, a tour guide jokingly agreed with when someone said it! I wonder..

NZ is stuck in time for me – in the thirties; not only the art deco architecture in most places but the personal and town developments, and the distance from the rest of the world -or European variety maybe (as I hear lately USA too struggles with relating to other places in the world), and Australia to is behind like 50-60s?

I am starting to appreciate England and it’s variety; the weather here is changeable, and we have some lovely scenery too (if not mountains and rivers quite as big!), and being close to Europe and Asia too, which seemingly challenge us to keep up with other countries, share their developments and have a change of scenery when we need to!

The food is similar everywhere too, not the local variety we have in UK towns and cities – burgers, steak, pizza and all with chips, but their fish is more varied but unfamiliar (breaded orange? other names I had to ask about!). Even supermarket shopping lacks variety for me – Just Hummus has added garlic and stuff, and the pitta bread I bought – craving just dips and olives for example – was loaded with garlic!!! Nothing is Just .. plain and straightforward that I like! 😄