Milford Magic

We have travelled past Lake Wanaka with it’s vineyards and orchards full of fruit, in quest of our destination, Queenstown. It has been a long drive but finally, driving down the long sloping road I see Lake Wakatipu stretched out before us. I am amazed at the hive of activity and number of tourists who have flocked here, both young and old alike. To those looking for thrill seeking adventure or those, like ourselves, just looking for a leisurely outdoor activity, there is something for everyone. There are restaurants, bars, bistros and boutique shopping everywhere as I describe this picturesque mountain setting as Banff on steroids.

One of our primary goals in this trip was to take in Milford Sound. The God’s were with us today as the weather cooperated completely for our five hour bus trip to the Sound. Seated near the back of the bus I quickly realized that I better pop a couple of Gravol as the bus rolled and lunged at each hair raising turn. Despite the long tour through Fjordland, a world Heritage Area, the views were beyond compare and to attempt to describe the scenery would not do justice to this global travel destination. The boat ride itself was 1 hour and 45 minutes, as we circumnavigated the Sound, cruising up to the opening for the Tasman Sea, where Captain Cook discovered which is rightfully a fjord and not a sound, back in the 1770’s. We were given the option to fly back over the glaciers and avoid another 5 hour bus ride, so we decided to bite the bullet and we were not disappointed as evidenced by the following video. Flight Over Milford Glacier

As great as the fly back was, today’s activity would be the highlight to date. To our surprise we were the only two participants on our organized bike tour of the region with our guide, Chris. We started our day with a 45 minute boat ride on the restored Victorian steamship, TSS Earnslaw. Upon arriving at Walter Peak Farm, we started out on our approximate 35 km ride through the countryside. Our partners through the journey were numerous flocks of sheep, birds and herds of cattle, as we came into contact with very few other trackers or cyclists. A bagged lunch at a remote location, with a Loo with a view capped a wonderful morning. The afternoon took in a cycle beside a forest and lake with a walking suspension bridge, where filming of Lord of the Rings took place. See the following video Cycling near Walter Peak  and the second one at  Take 2 Cycling There was also a thrilling ride down the mountain side road on the return journey. Upon arriving back at the farm at Walter Peak, we partook of a traditional afternoon tea and scone while seated at a beautiful setting by the lake, as we waited for our steamer to return and take us back from this magical place. Truly a remarkable day, as attested to by the night’s sleep which was to be the most restful and peaceful I have had up to date.

I’ll Take the Sky to Sea Route Special and Hold the Clouds

There is just too much to do and not nearly enough time to do it. There aren’t enough experlatives to describe the drive south from Picton to Nelson and then onto Punakaiki’s unique pancake rock formations. The guard rail free roads, though in very good condition, require complete concentration and restraint from the navigator as the hair pin curves, steep cliffs and one lane bridges will test anyone’s nerve. Fields and meadows are full of hundreds upon hundreds of sheep, dairy cattle and beef cattle of numerous breeds. We also have to be aware of sheep herders moving their stock by four wheelers across the roads from one farm to another. But as a reward, the scenery is stunning and the opal coloured rushing rivers and waterfalls mesmerize. Little meaningful conversation is engaged in, except for the continuing ooooos, ahhhhhhs and wows. Snow capped peaks pierce the clear blue skies and the vibrant sunshine, crowns another perfect day.

Eventually the mountains give way to the west coast and the breathtaking coast line. I seldom use the word awesome as it is used so frequently in the wrong context but this drive through the mountains and along the coast has been totally awesome! I remarked to Jennifer that I felt this was one of the most spectacular drives we had ever done to which she responded that she had just read that it had been nominated one of the top 10 drives in the world as voted by Lonely Planet. Awesome! Continuous photo stops impede any real progress but eventually we make it to the Franz Joseph Glacier site on our second day of travel from Picton. We arrived early enough in the afternoon that we were able to take the one and a half hour walk/hike to within 500 metres of the glacier’s face. We also shared our experience with a Spring Bok trying to sustain life with the barest of nutrient essentials. Many people opt for helicopter rides up onto the glacier itself but we were quite happy to take the hike because of the numerous waterfalls (see video) Franz Joseph Waterfall and being able to appreciate the enormity of what mother nature did millions of years ago. Unfortunately it is only a matter of time before many of these glaciers completely disappear, which is also evidenced but timeline photographs, which show the rapid melt.

“Strait “ to Queen Charlotte Sound and the Track

Sunday morning’s leisurely ferry crossing to the South Island from Wellington, was like a sail on a mill pond. However, this three hour crossing, through Cook Strait, can be one of the most perilous in the world. The Strait is named after Captain James Cook who discovered this region in 1770. In honour of King George III, Cook named the Queen Charlotte Sound after the King’s consort. It is more than a simple crossing of two bodies of water as we pass by numerous islands, fjords and sounds. Once again we had occasion to meet some really interesting and genuinely nice young people on our voyage, who were on an “Outward Bound” youth program. Let me introduce you to Tom and Julian in the attached pictures. The day was perfect and the seas were calm as we arrived in the picturesque gateway town of Picton.

The following day was to be one of our highlights as we embarked on a 14 Km hike of the Queen Charlotte Track. With our guide Ollie, we boarded our mail boat/water taxi for a 50 minute ride to an out island bird sanctuary. I love birds and this was a wonderful experience to take in the two winged species with 360 degree views of the Queen Charlotte Sound. After an hour and a half another mail boat showed up to take us across the Sound to Ship’s Cove, next to Resolution Bay, to start our hike. This world famous hike did not disappoint as the views and commentary by Ollie proved to be exceptional. Lunch at Lookout Point was particularly fun as we met Marie from Belgium and Rolph from Germany. She had been travelling for the past eight months, with a working stint at Jamie Oliver’s Sydney Italian restaurant and Rolph was walking the entire 3700 km trail around both islands! The trail concluded with a beer at some recluse location in Endeavour Bay and another mail boat taxi back to Picton. All in it was a 10 hour outing but well worth it as we sat back on our balcony, sipping on another bottle of Chardonnay, watching the ferries continue to arrive and set sail for other out islands.