Dunedin and another early start, this time for my Dunedin Highlights tour but we docked late in Port Chalmers at 8am instead of 7.30pm, so would sail half an hour later. We had to be in the theatre for 8am and it was absolutely heaving. Some bloke asked why they kept the tickets as they had their name on and were a nice souvenir. The seats filled rapidly meaning many were standing for over an hour, so badly organised. Before getting off the ship, we had to lower all bags to the cutie Beagle sniffer dog at the gangway. It was 8c and I was on bus 1, which began late. Our first stop was the Otego Museum, which didn't actually open until 10am so the lift needed a key to take anyone to or from the second floor, where the tour began, and had an hour. A lovely elderly couple went wandering rather than listen to the guide's yak, so I did the same then met them in the cafe after looking briefly at one set of displays on the first floor. Everyone was back on the bus on time. We passed Baldwin Street, the world's steepest, road which was straight before a pointless thirty-five minutes at the botanic garden but the rose garden was lovely and there was a really tall tree. There was a little tram you could take for NZ$2 but you didn't see things up close that way. After this was the Olveston Experience, a real life Upstairs, Downstairs experience (not Downton Abbey as that's not set in a town house) as you walk around this house which was donated to the city when the last member of the family, Miss Dorothy Theomin (youngest child who never married), died in 1966. The old servants quarters in the attic are now occupied by security guards but they showed the butler's pantry, kitchen and other rooms as well as main family ones. You weren't allowed to take photos inside but could outside, including the old 1922 Fiat 510 Tourer. We were split into three groups and think hit the jackpot with our guide. He was hilarious while the two ladies were more serious. We dropped people off at the Octagon who wanted to shop then returned to the port where we were boarded by a security guard checking our passports and cruise cards. The 1pm tour was waiting on the dockside and we got there twenty-five minutes late so a quick boot off. Lunch in the Windjammer and Carol and Dave got in the lift. They just got back from their latest tour involving booze and were going back into town after putting on something warmer. Have a job since they brought no warm clothes! They were wearing matching Indy jackets, the same type I have from Black Watch which says Fred Olsen Cruise Lines but resisted telling the smug pair that.
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