We arrived in the charming portside town of Port Chalmers with a pretty little church on the hill (dating back to 1871). After clearing security which took quite a while.....I can now see all 2000 passengers.....we took a short bus ride into Dunedin. The weather is cold but sunny and I am pleased to see no rain as I want to walk a lot today. Dunedin City is New Zealand's oldest City and it is quintessentially quaint. Well-known for its Victorian and Edwardian architecture it was founded by a group of Presbyterian Scots.

The Octagon is Dunedin's city centre, an eight-sided plaza bisected by the city's main downtown street. Laid out by surveyors in 1846, Moray Place and The Octagon form two concentric streets, a plan that remains largely unchanged, creating a ring of public buildings around a central plaza, including the Dunedin Town Hall, the Dunedin Public Library and Public Art Gallery, St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, and various shops, cafes and bars. Uniquely for an inner city plaza, The Octagon is on an incline, sloping uphill from the ocean.

At the top end of the Octagon is an unassuming plaza with a huge 1887 statue of the Scottish poet Robert Burns (whose nephew Thomas Burns was one of the city's founders). It is here that you will find the Dunedin Writers Walk - a series of bronze plaques set in the pavement dedicated to some of the country's notable writers with connections to the city.

Dunedin Railway Station. One of the most photographed buildings in NZ it is lovingly called the grandest gingerbread house you will ever see!!. The ornate Flemish Renaissance-style architecture features white Oamaru limestone facings on black basalt rock. The sheer size, grandiose style and rich embellishments of the station earned architect George Troup the nickname of Gingerbread George. Complete with an ornate garden out the front it is truly a sight to behold.

Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. The 100,000+ objects in Toitū Otago Settlers Museum's collection highlight the character, culture, technology, art, fashion and transport of the Otago province from before the time of European settlement to the present. Set out chronologically from the first Kai Tahu explorers right up to modern times. Dedicated to making the collection accessible the Museum preserves, conserves and manages the collection as a resource for education, exhibition, and enjoyment. Entry is FREE and it is well worth a visit for an hour or two. There are a number of exhibits that can be touched which brings joy to many children (for those who travel with children!).

Baldwin Street - the steepest residential street in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records has now become a tourist attraction. Instead of a footpath here is a series of stairs for those who want a great workout for their glutes as they make their way up the 35% incline (1:3 gradient). I can confirm that this street might only be 350 metres long but you FEEL every inch of it.....takes about 10 minutes and you are rewarded with wonderful city views of Dunedin. Catch the public bus (No 8 or 9) from near the Octagon and the driver will tell you where to get off. Cost about $3.80 NZD and it is about 2-3km from the city centre.