Flying out of Milford

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Milford Sound
June 23rd 2006

Published: June 23rd 2006

Edit Blog Post

Of Adventure

What a View!

I was really too scared to take pics but nevermind.

Stunning day, picked up at 6.30am in freezing cold dark Queenstown, and headed out towards the Milford Sound for a day out of town, first cool thing was just the scenery in the Fjordland National Park, those of you who have been will know what I'm talking about, easily the most dramatic I've seen (have I said that before?)

Loved the Alpine Parrots (the Kea) they are big cheeky bastards who jump around looking for scraps and have no fear of humans, they look at you in a certain evil way that is only slightly chilling, gotta love them!

The scenery just got better, and better, and better until we came across the much fabled Milford Sound (to be honest they need to rename it, something like "F**king Awesome Sound" no too far. We cruised on up the sound looking at sheer mountain faces popping up out of the water,

then an unexpected treat, we came across a group of wild dolphins (still can't rember the correct collective term for dolphins) They were huge and swam all around leaping, got some top photos (to follow one day) was different to my swim experience back in the Bay of

Dolphins in the Sound

Crap Camera, nice dolphins

Islands as the water was so much clearer and they managed to jump higher this time, did not get to swim though, no wetsuit.

Continued clicking away inc the underwater observatry, the boat turns around just at the entrance to the Tasman Sea (over which I'll fly on Tuesday) was very pleasant as I also met a few people on the boat I'd met in Fiji/Auckland etc, it's a small sociable old trail the backpacker circuit.

Then I did something impulsive but expensive (train trip on Monday is now dropped, few less drinks in next month or so too) What I did was took the option to drop off at the Milford Aerodrome and got a 4 seater little plane, sat in the seat next to the pilot (with control stick in front of me) and basically decided to put my one time phobia of flying right behind me.

So glad I did it, the take off was kinda turbulent, but then rose up through the mountain passes along the milford track (closed in winter) Anyone seen the opening credits of "Where Eagles Dare"? that's the sort of thing, up to 8000 feet, but also down right

Me at Milford

Too dark as usual

past the tips of the mountains, the pilot was well cool, also the local radio DJ in the morning slots.

Just ask to see the pics sometime, never seen anything like it (okay I've definately said that before but this time I mean it) Then flew in over Queenstown past my cosy little hostel and swept in to the grass runway at Queenstown airport.

Amazing, only the Skydive has beaten that, anyways got to dash and see the fireworks, it's the start of the Queenstown Winter Festival tonight.

Oh and if anyone is umming and ahhing about whether they should do some travel, JUST F**KING DO IT!!!!!!! It's more than the best thing I've ever done, I feel like it's the only thing I've ever done.

Okay that's an exagerration but you know what I mean!

Additional photos below

Photos: 26, Displayed: 24