I drove to Dunedin from Te Anau after spending an amazing day in Milford Sound. By the time I hit the road, I was still on that high, but I knew, the best of my 7 week trip was behind me. Dunedin is a little city on the east coast of the south island. I didn’t spend much time there but it seemed quaint, lush, and European. My favorite thing that happened there was that I truly learned the extent of New Zealand’s gluten free superiority. Dunedin is a pretty small, seemingly not very hip town, although I believe a lot of students live there. Anyway, I didn’t expect much in terms of food options at the grocery store. I found a really delicious pre-packaged gluten free lemon cake, and the options were pretty extensive in terms of treats. I couldn’t believe it actually.

I did the hike to tunnels beach on a whim. I didn’t have much time in this little town, but thought it would be a waste to do nothing. I was so happy and rewarded by the beauty of this place. It’s called tunnels beach because you have to go through a tunnel to access the beach. It’s a prime spot for beautiful photos and selfies. There were other people there so I didn’t spend too long.

Up on the cliff I felt a little nervous. Seeing and hearing the crashing waves reminded me of the many nightmares I’ve had of drowning. I found it interesting that the least touristy, least manicured places I visited were always close to cities. All of the tiny little spots in never heard of towns were like Disneyland rides: Super safe, strapped down, no real adventure. Even taking little risks like standing on top of the cliff with big crashing waves below felt rewarding. Every little risk I took on my trip was so small, yet each of those tiny accomplishments made the trip worth it and gave me little boosts to my confidence in terms of my competence and ability. The whole trip was a testament to my capability to stand on my own two feet and handle life with no help, something that a lot of people told me I was incapable of much of my life. So close to the end, I knew most of the risk of my trip was behind me. And I survived it all.