New Zealand is a country of just about four million people with a whopping forty million sheep. There are sheep everywhere. And they’re delicious. Today’s Friday Travel Photo features one of these forty million sheep.
Her name was Gloria and she lived near one of the greatest hostels I’ve found in New Zealand. Perched at the top of a hill on the South Island’s Catlin Coast, the Catlins is an area of lush forests, rolling farmland, and rugged bays. The greens contrasted with the vivid blues of the sea will remind you what a stunning country New Zealand is.
Gloria Looking In
We were quite shocked when we looked out the front door of the hostel to find this massive sheep looking right back at us. I would venture to guess that Gloria might be the friendliest sheep in New Zealand. If you’re backpacking through the Catlins, stay a night (or three or four) at the Hilltop Backpackers in small little Papatowai and chances are you’ll meet Gloria too.
Gloria
Do you have a photo you’d like featured on Backpackingmatt? Email the photo to matt [at] backpackingmatt [dot] com.
15 August 2010 at 7:31 am
Aww, Gloria is super cute! I love all the sheep you can find in NZ. I wrote something about chasing sheep down near Invercargill (http://www.dangerous-business.com/travel-writing/new-zealand/chasing-a-woolly-dream/ ), which is always a fun memory.
And I looove the Catlins! Definitely one of the South Island’s best-kept secrets, I think.
15 August 2010 at 11:46 am
She is sooo cute.
In about two weeks (early September), baby-lambs season will start!! I love it!!
We go surfing in Wairarapa so close to them, like this pic:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/criscampos/1389543610/
15 August 2010 at 10:20 pm
@Amanda I agree. The Catlins are one of the best kept secrets on the South Island. Should I write a post telling it to the world?! Maybe we should keep it between us.
@Cris Love the photo. Went for a drive outside of Queenstown today and thought maybe there would be the odd early born lamb. Not quite yet!
16 August 2010 at 3:47 am
Ha – it hardly looks real!! How do we know it wasn’t a stuffed sheep!
16 August 2010 at 5:04 am
That’s adorable!! What was she hoping for coming to the door I wonder? It’s like she wanted to come in and cuddle.
In the smalls town around Cork, Ireland they used to mark their sheep with spray paint, so you’d see a random one market with bright green or blue so the owners knew whose was whose. Loved seeing randomly colored sheep running around.
16 August 2010 at 11:51 am
Haha, Matt, I’m already planning a post on some of NZ’s “best-kept secrets that I’m not going to keep any more.” The Catlins are definitely going to make an appearance! Though, sometimes I feel like the majority of NZ is a best-kept secret… the entire country is so great!
16 August 2010 at 8:05 pm
Cute Gloria)
17 August 2010 at 5:53 am
haha so adorable! a curious sheep isn’t it
20 August 2010 at 9:52 am
@Sherry She is real! I promise.
@Bessie – I think she wanted .. food! I remember the painted sheep from Ireland. Pretty funny to see pink, purple, and blue sheep grazing the paddocks!
@Amanda I look forward to it!