Milford Sound

Leaving Wanaka behind we went over the Cardona pass with a sprinkling of snow over the mountains. Passing Queenstown we stopped for our 3rd hitch hiker a young woman from Wyoming USA. A keen rugby player she has decided to settle here in NZ, working on a cattle farm. She had been on a week away to visit a friend in Rotarua watching the lions match.

Dropping her off an hour later we continued on and arrived in Te Anau at dusk. Our backpackers was another trip down memory lane for James and it had a big fluffy cat called Dexter. Again people were in their own little world and the social areas were silent.

Next morning we were up before dawn on the road to Milford Sound. As light increased the great hulks of stone either side of the valley came out of the darkness. They only became higher the lower down the valley we went.

We'd booked a cruise that had commentary so a bit pricier but we didn't mind as we only ended up with 10 on our boat and had the views to ourselves. Luckily there was no rain or mist and we could see the sound clearly. I can't believe Mum and Dad's cruise ship came down this narrow straight! With wind blowing in our faces we crusied up and down staring at the high granite walls and the waterfalls dropping down from the cliffs. When it got to cold we grabbed a cupbof soup and a warm roll from the canteen.

Returning back up the valley now in daylight was spectacular (a bit better than the sound itself) and stopping to see a chasm, we were charmed by a Kea scrounging for some food. Cheeky bugger tried to peck the rubber off the car!

We tried a different backpackers that night Bob and Maxine's. The place had a lovely open kitchen diner with a log fire and a friendly dutch guest (the Dutch are so friendly!). Maxine the owner was an eccentric, with mumbling speech, asking if we were German and being preoccupied with going down to the pub. She didn't know if she was coming or going, but she does run a lovely place!Read more