Daily Photo – Blackett’s Lighthouse in Timaru
The last time I stopped in Timaru I was a little hard on the dear old place. It had been a long drive and I had been stuck in a long convoy of traffic, which left me in a grumpy mood. The only park I could find was in front of a building that had seen better days. There were few coffee options in the area and the only one I found was terrible.
On this occasion I decided to give it another try and opted for a walk to Blackett’s Lighthouse, which then led down to the beach and shoreline of Caroline Bay. It was one of those warm summer days when the sky was clear, the wind had dropped and the tide drifted lazily in and out under the sparkling sun. If anything, it was altogether pleasant.
Stafford Street in Timaru
The last time I wrote about Timaru I felt I was a wee bit harsh on the place. In fact, I was sent an email from a resident who kindly listed all the lovely things there are to do. His list included visiting the Māori Rock Art, spending time at Caroline Bay, going on wildlife tours or spend a night nearby places like Twizel. There were a number of other things that were included in the list, which was very kind of him. However, I did note that most of them required me to leave the city, which seems to negate the point of visiting the place. Now, I don’t know about you, but suggesting I “drive to Twizel and stay the night” doesn’t really sound like a rinnging endorsement for Timaru. It seems more like a suggestion to visit Twizel. Anyway, my point is that having been a bit harsh on the place, I might have to revisit the city and give it a decent chance.
Stafford Street in Timaru
Several days later I was driving to Christchurch. On the way, I stopped in the town of Timaru. It had been a number of years since I’d been to the centre of Timaru and so with a touch of interest I decided to get a coffee and have a look around. Now I don’t mean to be harsh, but upon parking my car I couldn’t help but notice how unremarkable the whole place seemed. I’m sure it was once a lovely spot, however the main street seemed slightly unkempt. Walking the city streets, my search for a takeaway coffee lasted close to 25 minutes after which time I found one place available. Deciding that I was faced with a lack of options rather than an actual choice, I discovered that after waiting an eternity the coffee was god awful. Feeling rather depressed and unsatisfied, I found my way to my car and joined a steady stream of traffic heading out of town with one thought in mind. Timaru made me look forward to Ashburton, and that’s not something you can say too often.
… from a Small City. My daily musings from Ōtepoti to get you inspired. Read the blog, view the photos, embrace the creativity.
