A Place I Love

I love to spend time in Dunedin's 'Green Belt.' It is a belt of native forest which snakes through some of Dunedin's hill-suburbs above the central city. I take my poodle, Neo, for walks there and enjoy sitting on park benches in clearings in the belt where I relax with a good book, a ginger beer and a museli bar. Sometimes on my walks in the bush, I stop and carefully take in the sights and sounds of the forest. It is then that I can most clearly pick out the bird song. At those moments I could be miles from the city, but in fact I am right in the middle of it! 



Comments

  1. Mahiro AkaiMarch 11, 2021 at 10:32 PM

    If I go to Dunedin, I want to not only go to bakeries, but also come into contact with nature. I want to see plants and animals native to New Zealand. Is Dunedin's 'Green Belt' close to Otago university? How do we go there, by walk or car?

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    Replies
    1. David WoodfieldMarch 15, 2021 at 5:27 PM

      Hi Mahiro, thanks for your comment. The Green Belt isn't so far from campus. It is about a 15-minute walk up the hill from there. You can see it clearly from campus as it snakes around the hills opposite it. Hope you can get to visit our campus and explore the nearby Green Belt in the future.

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  2. Momoka ItayaMarch 13, 2021 at 1:16 AM

    I like the picture of pure nature, when I visited North Island of New Zealand, I often saw people eating fish and chips sitting by the beach, is it different in South Island? Have you ever seen a penguin? I learned that if we are super lucky, we might see them in Dunedin. So I am really excited to go there someday.

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    Replies
    1. David WoodfieldMarch 15, 2021 at 5:33 PM

      Hi Momoka, interesting to read that you have spent time in NZ. Yes we too picnic on fish & chips on the beach in the South Island. I have seen a penguin or two in the vicinity of Dunedin, but I moire often see seals and sea lions. You are likely to see yellow eyed penguins if you go to 'Penguin Place' on the nearby Otago Peninsula and wait for one to come by, from one of their 'hides.'

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  3. Maiko NoboriMarch 13, 2021 at 9:04 PM

    I don't have such beautiful nature near my house, so I want to enjoy such scenes in Dunedin. If I can go there, can I see some interesting or amazing animals? And I can imagine the smells of the picturesque forest. I love the good smell of nature and it makes me relaxed.

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    Replies
    1. David WoodfieldMarch 15, 2021 at 5:39 PM

      Hi Maiko, one of the things yoiu can really enjoy in the New Zealand bush are various sounds. There is the sound of the wind rustling in the trees, the sound of the native wood pigeon, the kereru, in flight, and the sound of the tui and the bellbird in song. Then at night you can hear the cries of the native owl, the Morepork. I hope you'll get to hear these sounds one day.

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