Travellers Guide

Balclutha

When I first saw this sign on the side of the road I thought what a stupid slogan. I had not been in Balclutha very long and I realised that the slogan was working.

Everyone I saw said hello and some even waved when they said hello. What a great place to live the people in Balclutha are by far the most friendliest people I have met on my journey and it is all because some clever person came up with simple slogan that works.

If it works in Balclutha the why would it not work in your town. Can you imagine how happy people would feel if everyone said hello. Try it on the person you have not spoken to since your last argument and you may be surprised at the reaction.

I fell in Love

While I was in Balclutha I fell in love with a concrete bridge. This magnificent structure of arches straddles the Big Balclutha River. The Railway bridge further down  is equally impressive.

The motor vehicle bridge has a walk bridge both sides of it and I just had to walk up one side and down the other. There is no pedestrian crossing at the northern end of the bridge and I very nearly became a piece of meat in the sandwich between the bridge and a Mac Truck.

It was then I decided that Balclutha could make a fortune from tourism if they built a pedestrian crossing on top of the concrete arches. Some may even want to bungy jump from it down into the river below.

Hotel South Otago

I have a soft spot for old hotels and hate to see people not look after them. I stayed 3 nights in the Hotel South Otago and I loved the place. Like all these old hotels they have a certain charm that you don’t find in modern accommodation houses. The Hotel is owned by the Balclutha Licensing Trust and while they have done a great job in preserving the hotel downstairs the outside of the building and the accommodation rooms upstairs have been neglected.

Hotel South Otago is situated in the centre of the town  and it should be the focal part of Balclutha but unfortunately its not. I left a note for the management staff of Balclutha’s greatest Icon and I hope that when I return to their town I will see big improvements.

Begging for Donations

One of the reasons I have taken on this challenge is to promote business and tourism in the towns that I call on. I also want to uplift and inspire other 69 year olds like myself  that have a crook shoulder a gammy leg and two teeth missing on the bottom jaw that old age and arthritis is no barrier if you have a determined attitude and a good sense of humour.

I get no funding from Local or Central Government so I have to beg for my supper.  I ask each business to give me a donation to pay for my travel expenses and by far the most generous people have been the business people of Balclutha. I will never forget the bank manager who photocopied 20 colour copies of my newsletter and then gave me some notes out of her own purse. Despite the generosity of people I still don’t have enough to buy a new pair of shoes. If you feel sorry for me and have not yet made a donation towards my cause but would like to you can do so. Just put it in my bank  account online.

National Bank Timaru 060  889  0257897  00 or send your donation by post  c/ Margaret Bishop 132 Gleniti Road Timaru New Zealand. Margaret is the women I married 45 years ago and she also has a crook leg a runny eye and a deaf ear. She often tells he friends thats its all right for you but I am the one that has to live with him.

Anyway I will let you know if Margaret gets enough money in donations to buy me a new pair of shoes.  Keep tuned in because I have a good story to tell you about shoes next week.