I had to deliver some quails (among other things) to Gore and Invercargill. Never having been that far south of Dunedin we decided to take our time and make it a two day holiday. On the way I confirmed my suspicion that the very best people like quails! Everyone I met along the way that kept quails were true animal lovers that owned other types of birds and animals too.

The standout meeting was just outside Gore where we met two amazing women who had a huge dairy and also bred small dogs, turkeys, ducks and huge Shire horses, kept tame black swans, parrots etc. Their massive hothouse was also the quail paradise, with the quails roaming freely among the vegetables. All their animals are tame and can be petted and I held a black swan in my arms for the first time. I was impressed by how very hard working they were, with their excellent animal housing  and with how well loved and cared for their animals were.  We had a lot to talk about and I left feeling that I could happily have spent a few more hours with them.

In one strange coincidence we met a lady with quails, of course, and many other animals as well as a very insistent lamb bleating for milk at the gate. At our next stop we talked about our previous meeting and the lamb, and found that we were dealing with a mother and daughter,  neither knew that we were known to the other.

On the way back we took the scenic road along the sea through the Catlins. The scenery was marvelous all the way home! What a beautiful bit of country.

We every so often admired the scenery whilst having very enjoyable picnics.

If one had a bucket list of animals one can be chased by, mine would have a few ticks already! Elephant – tick (but, I was in a car ). Rhino – almost tick ( we were told which way to run should the wind turn, so it could have happened) . Humongous sea lion – Yup!  It emerged from the surf a few meters away from where we were peacefully having a coffee causing us to grab the baby , cameras and picnic things and run. He followed us and almost caught up when we doubled back around a volcanic rock an he continued on wondering where we had gone. He was not the only sea lion on the beach, one was sleeping on its back in the sand and another seemed to try and kill a smaller animal by lying on top of it and biting it.  All very exciting – who needs Bondi’s cafes if one could have a wild beach in Dunedin.

The sea was too rough for us to swim but we did paddle in the pristine ice blue water and the water did not feel cold at all.  The drive there is spectacular as is the beach. Very few people were to be seen considering it was Sunday and the hottest day of the year so far. Another day in paradise!