Nice day for a day dream .... If we thought the trip to Milford Sound was good...well we were not really prepared for what was to come. Sunshine creeping over the top of the peaks was a sign of the wonderful things to come ! Our kayaking trip on the Milford Sound has certainly spoilt us for the sights to come . Breathtakingly beautiful and aweinspiring. Exhilirating to experience the wind and spray of the 151m Stirling waterfall by kayaking under it. Our 4 hour kayaking trip started with a boatride down the Milford Sound and then paddling back for about 14kms - the wind from the sea picked up and made it quite choppy, yet made the paddling rather easy. Although the lack of rain over the last 3 weeks meant that we only saw the 2 permanent waterfalls and not the thousands that are the norm for this area, we enjoyed the Sound in the most brilliant sunshine. We were also very lucky to have seals play in the water around us and to see some small penguins, of which there are only about 1000 left in the world. So much beauty ...so very good for the soul. This area is called the Fiordlands and this is the education that we got on the names and the area. Milford Sound is not a sound at all, but a fjord. The difference is : a fjord is shaped and carved out of the landscape by a glacier and is then filled by sea water; a sound is carved out by a river and then filled by sea water. Milford Sound had been incorrectly named and then it was decided not to change it. The Fiordlands were meant to rectify the mistake and then fjord was incorrectly spelt ...with an i instead of a j....but it was felt that this should not be corrected either. Some interesting aspects of the area, the sea water which comes in from the Tasman Sea is about 18degrees and the Glacier water which drains intothe Sound is about 13 degrees. As the fresh water is less dense than the salt water it forms the top layer of water, so as you go deeper in the water it gets warmer. The mountains that surround Milford Sound are full of surprises and optical illusions. Looking up at a mountain - it looks about 2/3 up it is 600m - but then the mountain is actually 1700m high - so the last 1/3 is actually 1100m. There are so many examples of this, where mountain peaks looks lower than the next, but are actually several hundred meters higher. There are very distinct scars and gashes running down the mountains, which are tree avalanches. The glacier movement on the granite rocks left very smooth surfaces, which over the years are covered by moss. The trees and ferns interlock their roots through the moss and in this way cover the mountains. If one tree falls it causes a whole chain reaction and the mountain side looks scarred. It takes 20 - 30 years for it to become reestablished. The power of water and ice is very evident. After our paddle we left Milford Sound , again driving through the Homer Tunnel, (which was started with pick and shovel in the 1930s depression as a work creation project and only finally completed in 1954) Somehow the trip looked less impressive after our morning on the Sound.....we are getting seriously spoilt by all the wonderful new sights and experiences. Arrived in Queenstown in the city centre Holiday Park ....one campervan next to the other ...looks like a camper parking lot. Very vibey city this , lots of young people , restaurants and pubs. Were ravinously hungry so treated ourselves to the worldfamous Fergburger ...with hundreds of other people. Queued outside and then waited about 1/2 hour for our burgers, BUT really really worth it ! We've gotten into a routine already ....updating photos and blog every evening ( with our soggy memories it is imperative - otherwise have no idea of what and where ...the joys of the 50s ) whilst trying out the New Zealand wine. Not bad ...still have lots to taste though ! Will sleep well tonight ....good exercise on the water and lots of red wine. Oh my ...life is tough. More adventures tomorrow.