If it's Wednesday, this must be... Hobart?

I love it that central Dunedin simply pulsates with visitors at this time of year. There's a huge difference from when I last lived here in the mid-1990s - in those days, once the students had gone home, the city fell pretty quiet.

But I do wonder, however, how well informed some of these tourists are, not just about the sights they are seeing or the history they are soaking up, but about where they actually are.

Several North America holidaymakers I passed a few weeks ago were talking animatedly about Hobart. They may have been comparing the two cities after a visit to Tasmania, but I somehow got the feeling they thought that's where they were now.

Yesterday, while I was walking into a tide of visiting humanity coming my way, I heard this:

''I hear there's a lot of Scotch people here'', one woman said. ''And there's the Maoris, too. I believe that was one at the bus stop this morning.''

I'm sure I've got that right. The first thing I did when I walked in here at 2pm was write that down.

Apropos ''Scotch''. Yes, we like a tipple, it's true.

Bucket-list request

While we're on the subject of visitors, I received this lovely letter from Gordon Brown in the northeast of England, who will be in Dunedin around Waitangi Day next year.

Gordon writes that he is now 64 but has wanted to come to Dunedin since he was 6.

''At the time I was learning to read and write, my mother encouraged me to write contributions to air mail letters she used to write to my great-uncle, Robert Brown. My uncle Rob used to include in his letter to my mother personal greetings to me, and I had only just for the first time written a whole letter of my own and had his response written to me alone, when the postman brought news of his death. His address, 9 Beaumont Road, Dunedin, is imprinted on my childhood memory.

''I live in the northeast of England, from where my great-great-uncle, Thomas Brown, started his journey to New Zealand in about 1868. Uncle Rob left here just after the Great War to work in the family business in Dunedin, developed by his uncle Thomas Brown, and lived there over 40 years.

''I've always wanted to see where he lived and worked, and to put flowers on his grave. I'd love to know a bit more of the family business, too. Although it no longer exists, the premises from which it traded do.

''I have found some information on the web about my great-great-uncle, Thomas Brown and the business, Brown, Ewing & Co. Here is a link to it:

http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc04Cycl-t1-body1-d2-d30-d...

''Would you be able to put me in touch with someone who could locate Uncle Rob's grave for me, and tell me more about the family business? I would be so grateful if you would.''

Gordon says he would like to spend half a day or so while in Dunedin learning something about, and paying respects to, his family forebears.

If anyone can help, please get back to me and I will contact Gordon.

Gobbledygook

Thanks to an ODT colleague for passing on the University of Otago's wonderful description of a new foyer in its School of Business:

''An engaging central common space for collaborative, formal and informal learning and social interactions.''

My colleague says: ''Or, a room. Take your pick.''

What's the temperature?

Chris Sayers, of Mosgiel, wants to know how hot it is out that way.

''We had an operating temperature gauge in Mosgiel, which hasn't worked since daylight saving weekend. I have contacted the DCC and they directed me to Mosgiel Rotary, which I have been unable to contact.''

Hopefully somebody can let us know what's happened to the thermometer. It must be warmer than the photo says.