Amazing Milford

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Left Queenstown to make our way to Milford Sound. Weather en route was great, clear blue skies and bright sunshine. We stopped off in the car every 2mins to take a closer look and short walks, including Mirror Lakes (reflect the mountains perfectly), Hollyford Valley lookout (amazing moutains/valleys etc), Homer Tunnel.

We stayed at the only accomodation in Milford Sound, Milford Lodge. It was very remote - we were back in the wilderness again - no TV - the place ran on a generator that cut out at 11pm everynight and started up again at 6.30am. Lights out time!!

Because the weather was so good - in a place where they get something like 250 days of rain! - we wanted to get on a Milford cruise that evening, and luckily managed it. The cruise was just over 2 hours, and took us down the length of the fiord to the edge of the Tasman sea (St Anne point - has a lighthouse that has been there since the late 1800s) and back again. Awe inspiring scenery including Mitre Peak, waterfalls (we actually saw a rainbow reflecting off one like in the postcards), seals on rocks. Spen took lots of pictures - even by his standards.

Next day it was torrential rain and poor visability and everything looked grey. We drove to Chasm Waterfall (it was very full and fast flowing thanks to the rain), part of the Cleddau River, with its water scuptured rocks. We walked around the forest for as long as we could bare in the heavy rain!

Later, Spen went on the Milford cruise again to see the contrast, and the pictures of the same scene look so different. Waterfalls sprang over the edge of the cliffs everywhere.

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