Milford Sounds

Trip Start Aug 31, 2005
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Trip End Feb 16, 2006


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Monday, January 9, 2006

We left early to drive to Milford Sounds as we had planned to stop and view the brilliant scenery, but due to torrential rain this did not happen. Arrived at Milford Sounds and went to book us and the tent in. The woman asked if we were sure we wanted to camp, we weren't but at Milford there was only this accommodation place (there is nothing at Milford, no shops or anything) and we had been told that the dorms were full. She advised us to sleep in the car rather than the tent as it was so windy and rainy, and that a dorm may be free. After hanging around and reading for hours , we were told there were two beds free. Thank goodness! You knew we were at the back of beyond when the lights went out at 11pm as electricity is on a generator!
The next day, against all odds, dawned bright and sunny. So after spraying myself liberally in insect repellant (apparently there are loads of sand flies in the area) we went on a cruise around the sounds 01 Milford Sounds mountains.
01 Milford Sounds mountains.
 . Gorgeous scenery (and you got a free muffin which I didn't eat as trying to be good!)of snowy mountains, waterfalls and seals.

After that we drove for 10 hours, this time we could enjoy the awesome (Kiwi's favourite word)scenery. Even saw a penguin when we stopped at a place called Petrfied Forest, apparently over the years volcanic activity keeps covering the forset which then grows again, you can now see blackened stumps! We also went to see some caves, Cathedral Caves, which you could only see at low tide, as usual on this trip we were running a bit late so the tide was coming in. So we would wait for the tide to go out, then run to the next section etc, still got a bit wet. The beach the caves were on was very impressive especially with the waves crashing in, The caves were, well caves, not sure why they were said to look like cathedrals.
Anyway made it to the campsite by 10pm, very pleased to have no rain.
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