Milford Sound
Trip Start
Sep 20, 2004
1
57
89
Trip End
Mar 30, 2005
Milford Sound,
New Zealand
Monday, December 27, 2004
Took off and had the most amazing hour long flight around the ice capped mountains, lakes and Fjords. I was beside myself tryign to get the best pictures and luckily I think I got some pretty good ones - check them out. My favourite moment was flying over the glacial lake with the mountain peak reflected in it. Breathtaking !
Had a couple of hairy moments when we lost sight of one of the other small planes which refused to give way to us, but our pilot took total control and being the nominated co-pilot obviously I take full credit for the safety of the plane -Check
Campsite near MS
!Inspired by our flight and the weather, we got in the car and headed off on the drive to Milford sound. Truely one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Well I'm throwing it out there. Feel free to email if you think you can top it ! The sun came out and the blue sky was the most incredible backdrop to the mountains and valleys. We stopped along the way to admire a valley and riverbed covered in purple and blue lupins.
Apparently the story goes that a guy who had had his house and apple tree within a region that had been designated to turn back to all indigenous trees and vegetation. He was asked to cut his apple tree down and point blank refused. The warden or local council came around whilst he was out and cut his damn tree down. Pretty harsh ! The guy was so furious that he went to the local plant centre and bought packets and packets of lupin seeds and scattered them all down the river valley. Now the valley is covered in them and you can see them from the plane all along the valley.
Drove on and scouted out the best campsite - Lake Gunn. Although I have to say it was hard choosing as nearly every NT campsite on the was to Milford sound is set in amazing surroundings
Float plane flight over the sound
. The rest of the drive to MS was incredible with waterfalls gushing down the sides of the mountains and the glaciers looming over the road. Booked ourselves into a day kayaking the sound the next day then headed back to camp. Nearly had a small brown trousers momnet in the tunnel which is cut straight out of the rock and takes several minutes to drive through. Its a one way tunnel with traffic lights but obviously these don't work after a certain time. After hovering around the entrance we went for it only to be met my someone elses headlights aaahhhhh ! After inital panic we pulled over into the passing lane (didn't know they had those) and both cars passed without incident. I wasn't scared really ?!Got a spot on place overlooking the lake to camp and had a rather nice dinner as the sunset. Excited by the prospect of being allowed to light the fire. I went out and gathered soem firewood whilst B got cracking striking stones. Jeeez hard work that fire. Wet wood, smoke, black faces and lots of crying and coughing. Lets just say B didn't need to pee in it for it to eventually go out ! Fun though !
Then camping in Fjordland National Park....
