I'm sure you all missed not getting a post yesterday so we have 2 days worth for you today as the hostel we stayed in last night was total pants!!!
Saturday 4th August
Today was our big trip with a full day booked to venture into the Fjordland National Park and visit Milford Sound. Our coach collected us at 10.15am and it was a 3 hourtrip to get to Milford stopping off at several places along the way. The first stop was Eglinton Valley which they used for scenery in Jurassic Park!! Quickly followed by a visit to Mirror Lakes to see some cool reflections of mountains. We also stopped at Monkey Creek to look at the Crosscut Range of mountains (so called because the top looks like the teeth of a saw!!) It was then a 17km journey through the Avalanche Zone, luckily today was a low risk day!!! We had to get through the Homer Tunnel (1270m) cut straight through the mountain and like driving through a cave. Once down the zig zag and through Holyford Valley we arrived at the Sound. Milford Sound is actually a fjord as it was created due to glacial action. Once on the boat it was a 1h 45m cruise down the Sound to the Tasman Sea and then back down the other side. We saw Mitre Peak (1682m) Bowen Falls these are the highest falls in the sound at 161m and were named after the wife of an early NZ governor.While out on the boat we saw NZ fur seals resting on the rocks and taking it easy as well as many other waterfalls cascading down from high above. The sound is so deep that cruise ships from Australia can come right in and then turn around and leave although at its narrowest point it is only 500 metres.Ok thats enough boring stuff for one post, but it was a pretty amazing site even on such a cold day the boat was a little rocky but glad to report no sea sickness from Mel!!!
Sunday 5th August (3 days till my birthday)
Today we took the drive south from Te Anau to Invercargill, it should have taken just under 3 hours but took us 4 as we kept stopping to watch the NZ harriers flying around and eating rabbits on the road!!! I kept trying to get a picture but they flew off whenever I got within 30 metres of them. We are now in Invercargill and have settled into our YHA hostel here. We have had a look around town but have also booked to go to Stewart Island tomorrow for the day and have a look around there.
Kia Ora M & M