High tea, e-bikes and a uni son’s quirky flat make for a memorable Dunedin getaway. Photo / Elisabeth Easther
When Elisabeth Easther spotted cheap flights to Dunedin, she booked a spontaneous trip to visit her son for a weekend of hearty laughs, e-bike adventures and scarfie flats that aren’t quite as grim as one fears.
My son is in his second year at Otago University, and while I’m doing my best to let go, when I saw affordable flights that coincided with Mother’s Day, I couldn’t help myself. This also pleased my son as he wanted another duvet, his Ugg boots and an electric blanket brought down.
Armed with my swag, I found Theo’s flat on the banks of the River Leith, but he insisted I visit a posse of his friends a few minutes’ walk away first. I suspect he wanted me to see a less swanky abode, so his compared favourably. The girls had baked in my honour and I was charmed by their rooms. Walls covered in pictures and hung with costumes and jewellery from parties past, the air pleasantly scented with aromatherapy oils to cover the rising damp. My son’s flat did feel roomier and warmer by comparison, but they are all so house-proud, which is not the picture usually painted of scarfies.
Arriving on a Thursday, I suggested we check out U Bar, the student watering hole, even though it wasn’t Pint Night. But Theo vetoed that with a hard no, and suggested dinner at nearby Eureka, where one of his friends was toiling in the kitchen. Yet it all felt vaguely surreal. How was I the parent of a university-aged child? Wasn’t it only yesterday my own parents were visiting me at Victoria?
Not wanting to interfere with study, we still found time on Friday to visit picturesque St Clair. A short drive from the centre of town, in storm or sun, this beachside suburb is a delight. Theo told me of his regular surf trips along this coast, although it was dumpy that day so we lunched at The Esplanade instead. Their strawberry rhubarb shortcake was sublime and Theo devoured his pizza – if nothing else, my visit would give him a break from cooking for a few days.
Marking Mother’s Day, we took high tea at Larnach Castle on the Saturday because it was booked solid on Sunday. I’d always wanted to visit Larnach, having seen plays and read books about the Larnach family’s fraught fortunes. Our gracious guide, Robert, took us through the beautifully restored palace, his knowledge bringing the building to life. The furniture, the staircase, the multi-storey curved banister carved from a single kauri. How on earth did they haul that hefty marble bath to the top floor? The stunning tiles and ceiling work, the chandeliers, every piece told a story. The butler’s mirror tickled us pink, and when Robert reeled off a standard banquet menu, I got indigestion just thinking about it. The manicured gardens and the sumptuous high tea also charmed us. Larnach Castle is a must.
On Saturday night I cooked a hearty meal for Theo’s flat’s ad hoc family of four, and the lads couldn’t have been more accommodating. The flat was immaculate, they recycle and compost and I could tell it wasn’t just for show, as the milk bottles and carrot tops predated my arrival. Bellies full, we sheltered in the heat pump room on a sofa much too good for burning, and the boys teased each good-naturedly before setting off for their evening shenanigans. A cold flat, I was told, is good impetus to spend more time in the library.
As Mother’s Day dawned, I was amped to ride the Port to Port Loop on e-bikes we’d hired from Electrify NZ where Nathan, the quintessential chilled-out bike-shop guy, fitted us out. But because the parties were so epic, rather than make Theo join me, I rugged up and set off on a glassy autumn morning sans son. This is a 36km mostly flat cycle path that heads to Portobello, then riders cross the harbour to Port Chalmers, sailing aboard the Port to Port Ferry. As I rode, cyclists, runners and dog walkers exchanged smiles, and a lone seal hunted in the chilly waters. A quick stop at Glenfalloch Restaurant & Gardens to admire the gloriously well-tended grounds. Even though I’d not been going long enough for coffee, the staff were so welcoming.
Another pit stop in Broad Bay, I checked out Fletcher House where custodian Kathy showed me through the elegant Edwardian Villa built in 1909, then it was just a brief pedal to Portobello. Time for a cuppa at The Cove before arriving at the wharf to find capable Captain Rachel, skipper of the MV Sootychaser. Loaded aboard, Rachel offered an engaging commentary in the 10 minutes it took to carry her passengers to Port Chalmers. As well as conveying cyclists from one side of the harbour to the other, Rachel leads on-water wildlife tours, using her wealth of maritime experience to educate locals and visitors alike. From charming Port Chalmers, it was a short ride home along the rail-side path, back to where I’d begun. Heaven on wheels, and having discovered there is no better way to get around Dunedin than by bicycle, next time I visit, I’ll be sure to shuttle in, and not rent a car, then hire a bike for the duration of my stay.
The rest of Sunday was spent walking with Theo. Up to Signal Hill for phenomenal views before a foray to Sandfly Bay, an unspoiled paradise that’s home to sea lions and yellow-eyed penguins, although we didn’t see any, I liked knowing they’re there. And dinner that night? We marked Mother’s Day at Emerson’s Brewery where the adult child insisted on a beer tasting paddle, because he’s 19 and he likes me to know it.
Reluctant to return my e-bike, while Theo went to lectures, I spent Monday exploring more of the city’s cycleways. Riding past students in shorts or low-slung jeans, singlets and sandals, boys gave each other secret handshakes and girls tossed their hair as they peeled off to class. Otago is like a summer camp at 6C. Purposeful young people wearing backpacks and headphones, mobiles permanently gripped in mittened fists, the kids down here are all right.
Then all too soon it was time to head home, with my heart light and my suitcase even lighter.
Larnach Castle: www.larnachcastle.co.nz
Electrify NZ Bike Rental: www.electrify.nz
Port to Port Cruises and Wildlife Tours: www.porttoport.co.n
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