Gore Blimey!

Thursday 22 May

A stunning sunrise with a fascinating red rainbow greeted us as we woke late after being rattled awake by a passing train.

It was a chiller filler day - I went for a casual cycle round town while Louis & Jez headed to Dolamore Bike Park for a bit of off-roading and Abby worked in the van.

The sites of Gore are many and varied - though not necessarily on the First Tier tourist attractions of NZ! My favourites included the weird house with all the roofing and window features, the bizarre Roman Catholic church which looked like a pool with an external water slide feature, the clocktower, a true retro Ford Falcon and of course I found the op shops!

Gore also holds the title of NZ Capital of Country Music (the Tussocks Country Music Festival is just about to start down here) AND the World Capital of Brown Trout Fishing... plus they are proud of their Romney sheep (who was all dressed up ready for the upcoming festival)

Meanwhile Jez & Louis were enjoying a more rural and scenic morning in the outskirts of Gore having found a mountain biking area to explore.

Had a late lunch and a snooze before visiting the Old Hokonui Moonshine Museum and Distillery for a crash course in the evolution of “Uisce beatha” in the region, as distilled by Scottish immigrants the McRaes since the 1870s (sometimes legally, often undercover in the hills).

We also learned about the Temperance Movement which travelled south from Russell in the Bay of Islands and preferred a nice cup of tea! Had a wee whisky tasting and picked the brains of lovely Joanne (our hostess) before heading back for dinner in Banjo once again. Plans are now sorted for the next few nights and we head into the Catlins in the morning.