south island – flippers & flat whites

Top Coffee Spots in Dunedin, New Zealand

Published on March 20, 2018 by Ashleigh4 Comments

This is the post I have been the MOST excited to write and also the post that I kept putting off in case my ordering changed. PSA it changed just an hour ago and it is final (with the exception that I could discover new cafes here in Dunedin in the future).

ANYWAY! I’m excited, I hope you’re excited, I think all the local penguins are excited so that should give you the extra push to be pumped.

The Fix

15 Fredrick St. Dunedin

A cafe hidden on a side street not far from the University campus. They have a wide array of hot and iced drinks (my recent favorite is their iced coffee, the equivalent of an American iced latte)

They have both indoor and an enclosed outdoor patio with ample seating. There is an outdoor heater and blankets scattered around so I am excited to take advantage of it when winter starts to pick up.

{peep me}

GOOD, FREE WIFI! Just ask for the password and they’ll hook you up!

Another bonus (I’m just loading on the bonuses oops) is the food is really good and not that expensive. On top of that, there’s options to satisfy any dietary requirements/restrictions. Wait one more… there is a takeaway window facing the sidewalk so if you are running around like a crazy maniac but still want your fix (ha fix at the fix im so funny) then they have your back!!

I LOVE coming here to get some homework done or even just to sit and relax with friends.

Peep another gorgeous aesthetic.

Oh, hey, did I say this is my favorite cafe in Dunedin? um, yes I did just say that.

so if you find yourself in the area it is not far from the Octagon, make the trip! & beware they have limited hours on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays :///

Morning Magpie

46 Stuart Street, Dunedin

A cafe in between the Octagon and the railway station. A rustic feel with some homely antiques and art. It was the first coffee I got on my first morning in Dunedin and it did not disappoint. If you are after the perfect frothed milk, then this is your best bet.

They do have food options but I sadly haven’t gotten around to doing that yet. There is wifi but the barista mentioned that sometimes its really slow, all depending on how many people are using it.

What I appreciate most about the Magpie is how plain old cups don’t exist here. The pug cup up top is also from here WHICH IS SO EXCITING!

The Albion Cafe

Albion Lane, 272 George Street, Dunedin

Hidden in a side alley surrounded by shops, one day I came across this gem. The baristas are the sweetest; although I’ve never had their sandwiches or baked goods, they are fresh every day and are proven to be popular. I love coming here for a quieter cafe vibe to focus on homework.

There is wifi!!! the password is up on the menu board in case you’re curious.

I wanted to stick to a top three, but decided I couldn’t leave this next one out. So, lets call this an honorable mention. here we go.

The Penguin Cafe

1726 High Cliff road, Portobello, Dunedin

A cafe situated on the Otago Peninsula around 30 minutes drive or by bus outside Dunedin. Once again, a cafe with the sweetest baristas and great, fresh, reasonably priced food.

Even if you aren’t a tourist (or trying to tell yourself that you’re past that phase), its a really fun cafe to look around at all the posters and brochures. There’s a bunch of maps and books on the local area as well to have a pop in to see.

aaaaaaand yes there are cute photos of penguins

I had so much fun putting this together. I hope to put together more lists of things and places that I’ve found to be my favorite.

Shout out to those or are after the perfect cup of coffee, I hope you find it soon.

I am looking forward to documenting my journey. All of the support so far has been amazing, so thank you.

Lots of love,

Brighton Beach – south of Dunedin, New Zealand

Published on March 11, 2018 by Ashleigh9 Comments

By living in Dunedin, New Zealand for the past three and a half weeks now, I’ve come to terms with how many beaches there are to explore. In my last post, I explored Tunnel Beach just north of my next destination: Brighton Beach.

Brighton is a small village around 45 minutes of a drive south of Dunedin. It was a gloomy Sunday night and my flatmates felt like exploring, so of course I was down.

When we arrived it was an eerie beach evening.

Without coming to the realization that the sun was due to set soon, we all turned around in awe to see the colors peaking through (and of course the vibrancy only got better)!

(peep an excited me)

LOOK AT THOSE COLORS I’M IN SHOCK THAT IT ONLY GOT BETTER FRIENDS!

I could not help but to continuously take panoramas, so enjoy.

Visiting here for the first time during high tide, only gets me even more excited to return while its low tide; there were so many little rocks and islands to explore.

Once the colors started to subside, the eeriness started to return (but with a more serene demeanor).

What these pictures do not show, is how just after the sunset was in its full fiery, it started pouring (thanks new zealand 🙂

This country continues to surprise me every day. Some intense adventures are coming soon, like a road trip around the north island!!! Keep posted for more of my trips and adventures. This week I will be putting together a list of my favorite coffee spots throughout Dunedin, no I cannot contain my excitement.

I am looking forward to documenting my journey. All of the support so far has been amazing, so thank you.

Lots of love,

Tunnel Beach – South of Dunedin, New Zealand

Published on March 3, 2018March 3, 2018 by Ashleigh5 Comments

What makes this walk great, is you don’t have to dedicate more than a few hours to take in the views. It’s even more perfect if either of these criteria fit you:

you are short on time
you aren’t a very experienced hiker

The walk both down and up is steep, so take it at your own pace. It is more common for people to visit Tunnel Beach when its low tide, but don’t neglect going if its high tide. I visited at high tide, and as you can see, it was still 100% spectacular.

What I really appreciated about the area was:

there wasn’t just one place to take photos, or one view to admire.

Above is one of the views when reaching the bottom of the trail, from there you have a few options.

Man-made Tunnel

In the 1870s, a man excavated a tunnel to reach a private beach so his family could be secluded in more privacy. (OOOOOOH)!!!

The beach is filled with boulders and insane looking rocks & cliffs. It makes a lot of sense why someone would go through the trouble to build a tunnel to get here, the serenity.

Mini Peninsula

Head out a bit further along to the peninsula and see the waves crashing along the side and circumferential views of the coast.

*peep the cheeky little seagull who decided to model for me*

I plan to go back at low tide soon to see how much more beach and rock is exposed. If people are interested I could either update this post or do another post altogether.

I highly recommend making the pit stop if you are in the area. I did get there by car but there is the Dunedin bus system which has a few routes that stop not terribly far from the beach.

Anyone been to New Zealand and have recommendations for me??

Make sure to comment below if you do!!

I am looking forward to documenting my journey. All of the support so far has been amazing, so thank you.

Lots of love,

First full day exploring Dunedin, NZ

Published on February 20, 2018 by Ashleigh2 Comments

Dunedin is the second- largest city in the south island of New Zealand. Dunedin is more urban than I expected; you can walk practically anywhere within the lines of the city.

This past weekend, I had a jam packed day full of exploring around both Dunedin, and its’ surrounding areas.

St. Clair Beach

First stop is the ocean, are you surprised?

St. Clair is just south of Dunedin and is a popular surfing spot. There are some nice outdoor cafes, but the main draw is the ocean.

2. Sheep

After a scenic drive on the Otago Peninsula, it was time to tack into a famous icon of New Zealand: sheep. I visited Nature’s Wonders, which offered a sheep sheering demonstration along with any facts you can imagine about wool and the sheep of the area.

There also was a short herding demonstration.

3. 4-wheeler trek

What’s awesome about the company mentioned above, is they offer packages where you can see the sheep demonstration and then hop on a 4-wheeler to trek down to sea level. As you can see, the views were green and gorgeous.

The first official stop was at a Southern fur seal colony (they blend in so well)! Since the fur seal pups were so young, they weren’t daring enough to stray far from mom.

top tip – If you plan it right, say two weeks from now, the pups are about the age where they get curious about humans and will come close for better viewing.

(I apologize about the quality, I only had my phone on the tour)

Next up, was to a beach untouched by humans for seventeen years. What I learned was how temperamental yellow eyed penguins are; if one feels they are unsafe or uncomfortable, their entire colony will flee the next day. A general example is blood or other samples were taken humanely from penguins for research, the next day the whole colony fled.

The yellow eyed penguins are known as one of the rarest penguins of the world; different factors play into their decreasing population, like disease and habitat degradation.

A vital tool in viewing the penguins, is doing it in a way that doesn’t break their trust.

A tunnel and hidden viewing platform (under vegetation) was built to give both the yellow eyed penguins, and also the blue penguins (another species found here) enough room to do their own thing. Conservation is at its prime importance here in New Zealand, and it’s great.

My tour was able to see a yellow eyed penguin strolling on the beach.

….but… the penguins have a ramp… for when they get curious…

4. Signal Hill

To get to the top you can either walk it, or drive it. This time it was by car, but next time I’m excited to walk up. Signal Hill is located just north of Dunedin and overlooks the Otago harbor. On top there is some parking and areas to picnic.

5. Baldwin Street

Known by the Guinness Book of World Records as the steepest street in the world (even beating San Francisco).

It is an amusing tourist spot, which attracts many different kinds of people. Some walk it, some make it their work out, and some drive it. Those who drive usually are the ones with rental cars because the trek both up and down I would imagine isn’t great for your car… Also there is barely any room up top to turn around to go back down…. but your call!! While I was there, one group even did the drive two times….hm.

More personal updates will be posted soon. I caught some sort of sickness while traveling, and with it being mixed with jet lag, it has required a longer adjusting period.

But nonetheless, a lot is to come!

I am looking forward to documenting my journey. All of the support so far has been amazing, so thank you.

Lots of love,