Saturday 14 May 2022

On the Road again…

To celebrate her indoors’ birthday and just to get out of the city and all the pressures of work we have headed South again to Central Otago (for the sixth time in the last 18 months).

First stop was Queenstown, where we flew into, then a stop at the supermarket before driving on to Te Anau. The plan here was to go out to Doubtful Sound on the Saturday, but a rainstorm was due to pass through and the thought of an eight hour tour on a wet day was not pleasant one. We decided instead to for Milford Dound instead where the weather looked less daunting. We have been to Milford before, in March last year actually, on a brilliantly sunny day and were advised to go there again when the weather was less than perfect. The advise was good because it was a great trip.

A quick check out of the hotel window revealed a gloomy sunrise.

But the rain was light and soon settled into no more than a slight drizzle. By the time we had reached the Mirror Lakes it had cleared. We paused here for a while enjoying the solitude and the dozen or so fantails fluttering around in search of bugs to eat.



As we progressed progress deeper into the mountains the effect of the overnight rain was demonstrated by the hundreds of waterfalls flowing off the slopes in this very “Lord of the Rings” setting.



West of the Homer Tunnel we stopped for a photo op and were greeted by this cheeky chap, the New Zealand native parrot the Kea.


Not long after this we were in Milford Sound and out on the waters of the Sound. The low clouds gave the whole place an ethereal look.



But the nights’ rain had converted the place into a magnificent wall of waterfalls - hundreds upon hundreds of them from the thinnest silvery strand to a roaring wall of water.








We were really glad we took the advice to see the place after a rainfall. It made for a magical day. By 3:00 we were back in Te Anau in the sunshine for a few glasses of wine before a Thai dinner.

12 comments:

  1. Gorgeous scenery from the land of a hundred waterfalls.

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    1. At one point when we stopped on the side of the road, the noise of the water running off hills was astonishing.

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  2. Very atmospheric Mark and those waterfalls are wonderful to behold. I can imagine that the sound is wonderful too.

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    1. The sound was indeed great…sometimes a tinkle, others a roar.

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  3. Beautiful and and inspiring. The different areas and especially the waterfall are amazing. Thank you for sharing this with us. It must have been a magical day.

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    1. It was a special day for sure. Even the drive, two hours in each direction was inspiring.

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  4. Great looking photos Mark. The friends we went to Queenstown with had been to both Doubtful and Mikford Sounds I think and had the same advice re the best weather conditions to visit under. The waterfalls do look spectacular!

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    1. Milford is certainly the jewel in the tourism crown but the positive side is that the infrastructure is not overwhelming.

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  5. The tour of the landscape filled with waterfalls and mists was captivating. I can understand going back several times.

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    1. That ethereal aspect can’t be overstated and you can see why Peter Jackson chose it to film big chunks of the Lord of the Rings there. Sadly the camera doesn’t really do justice it all. It is a special place to be sure.

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  6. Definitely the weather to make that trip. There is something quite ethereal about it. Six trips in eighteen months is a lot. Will be you be checking out any real estate on this visit?

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    1. Six trips is maginally better than the four to Fiji in 2019! We will look at some specific areas around Wanaka, but not looking to buy yet with still a couple of years to retirement and we will be dependent on selling the Auckland property to buy elsewhere. However, it is pleasing to hear her indoors talking positively about living there.

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