Avalanche area breakdown's, Glacier's, Lake's, Sounds: On the Road

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TUESDAY 26th - Re-charge before an eventful day!

Our drive now takes us north towards the Fiordland area of New Zealands west coast. With no power supply out in the wilderness all our cameras and phones etc. were on their last legs, especially as I'm filming a lot more during this trip and charging is becoming a real problem. So we pull in where I see a sign for a YHA hostel thinking we might be able to blag some showers as well. There was no YHA to be seen along the gravel road but there was a place advertising accomodation, the only place in miles, so I pull in and we speak to a guy who kindly says we're fine to use the facilities. I get my camera plugged in in a little cabin, dorm type room for a full charging session. We have some food in the back of the van and take advantage the man's kindness and have a much needed refreshing shower. We also had to fill up our water supply; a huge water container under the sink. Whilst I was walking around the facility I noticed some pretty 'Ghetto' style youths knocking about having team talks and talking about points systems etc. which lead me think draw a perhaps uncalled for conclusion that we were in some kind of youth re-generating boot camp??? ....cool!

Clean and charged we head to the mountains towards a place largely advertised and suggested called Milford Sounds. The drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound, I've heard is one of the best drives in the world and it was very easy to see why. After lunch by a fast running river in the hills and forest land and some loud yelling to get some awesome echoing we begin the journey.

The scenary around the area was, the perfect New Zealand stereotype, huge snowy mountains, large lakes, fast running crystal clear rivers and creeks, waterfalls and twisty, turny, sloped, winding roads. This was only the start.....
As the drive took us high into the mountains towards Milford Sounds and the fiordland we found ourselves surrounded by glorious mountains sides and vast expanses of forest and jagged rocks, not to mention 'CAUTION - AVANLANCHE AREA NO STOPPING' signs every few km's.
Panic began to set in a little as the fuel gage was begining to dip into places we didn't really want it to dip into, and an orange icon was lit on the dash-board? none of knowing what it was?
We prceeded, as we had no choice, and were taken into the Homer tunnel that went right through the mountain as there was no escape from the surrounding mountains, it was almost pitch black inside the tunnel and water dripped from above along the slim and bumpy mountain intestine. The light at the end of the tunnel was greatfully recieved and the view on the other side was even more impressive than before. Driving with my mouth a-gasp and eyes concentrating on the twisty downward road it was a road I will never forget and one we'd soon have reason not to!

30mins later we arrived in Milford Sound a very popular tourist attraction and the only settlement in the Fiordland area. Surely they'll have a petrol pump? and we weren't wrong, but things would never be that simple, it was a credit card activated pump and the ATM machine to work it was out of order. So we were then on a mad fuel hunt asking at the nearby airport (where for a large sum one can do a scenic flight) and then succeeding at the boat yard (where boats go out into the mountains and out to sea) where a helpful mechanic filled her up. We also looked around the engine tyring to find the radiator as that's what we all though the illuminated siymbol was on the dashboard, but with no luck?!
We stayed around the area for a while but it was getting late and we thought it might be better to find somewhere to settle for the night and do some hard-core walking around the area the next day. We found that camping was forbidden around the area and that the Milford Lodge would charge us $14 each to park at their facility. With this in mind we were driven out of Milford and back up the mountain towards the tunnel.

TURNING UP THE HEAT
As we ascended higher and higher and VANessa struggled up the mountain side the heat gage rose up and up, and just before we entered the tunnel was in the red, "oh dear" we exclaimed!
Exiting the tunnel on the other side we pulled over and jumped out of the van to find smoke pouring furiously out from above the left front wheel. Bare in mind we are now in the heart of the 'NO STOPPING - AVALANCHE AREA'.
Seeing the smoke we all took a few steps back thinking smoke means heat, heat could mean fire = BANG! It felt like lifetime before anyone else was travelling along the road, but I'm sure it was only a few minutes, when another, larger, camper van pulls over and a man comes over to us to see what the problem was. He wasn't really too well up with cars either but said it was more than likely a cracked radiator/cooler. With no phone signal in this ridiculously remote place he suggested he took us to Milford so we could call EZY and the AA. We grabbed our vital belongings and left VANessa sat in the cold surrounded by what now looked like very scary mountain faces with large piles of snow clinging to their sides.
Mike (the man) introduced us to the rest of his family (wife, young son and daughter) and once again we found ourselves decending down the most impressive road in the world, but for us was now a pain in the neck!

We arrived in Milford and at the Milford Lodge where we phoned the AA and couldn't get hold of EZY. The mechanic said he'd only be able to be with us the following morning, meaning we'd now have to pay the full Milford lodge price of $28 each for a dorm room and buy tea in the most expensive on-site shop known to man!
We decided there was nothing we could now do until we found out our fate the next dat so settled into the luxury of the lodge with a much needed beer and a game of Monopoly.
Time to sleep with no enthusiasm for the next day fearing the worst and thinking of losing a day or more out of our adventure.


WEDNESDAY 27th - From death valley to Paradise in one day?!

8:30am, no breakfast and a look of dissapointment on all our faces. The AA man picks us up from the lodge and assures us he passed VANessa on his way over form Te Anau, good news. He drove us back along the most impressive drive in the world, now for our 3rd time, this time tired and hungry and fearing the worst of our travelling home. VANessa sat there in the mountains where we learnt from the AA man that it was peak time for avalanche's as the snow was melting so became heavy and ready crash towards the road, but luckily for us human interferrance has helped to prevent this by doing controlled explosions where neccessary to stop the build up of snow.
We free wheeled her down the mountain to a safer stop point where he gave her a good look over and for 10 minutes struggled to find the cooler tank. Well at least it wasn't just our stupidity. Eventually finding it in door frame of the passenger side. He filled her up with water and noticed that there was no leakage, so suggested we take it slow back towards Te Anau, so make sure that's all it was.
In conclusion, all it was, was that the water had run out in the cooler and began trying to get water from everywhere else in the engine causing it to over-heat and boil over creating the steam.

In Te Anau he filled her up further and we were back on the road. We drove further north back towards Queenstown and our next stop Glenorchy where parts of Lord of the Rings were shot.
In Queenstown we went to EZY rentals to complain about our ordeal with the radiator etc. and demanded some kind of refund for the night's accomodation at the lodge, which they glady payed us and also sent us away with a new portable DVD player, they were more than helpful, they also said they would give us the two days wasted in Milford free of charge and refund us when we return the van in Auckland.

The drive took us right along the perimeter of Lake Wakatipu, which on a beautiful, still and sunny day was spectacular and reflected the mountains and sky like a mirror, it was amazing!!
Entering Glenorchy we stopped quickly at an information point to get the vital stats on where and what was filmed here for Lord of the Rings. We were told that the backdrop for Isengard was filmed in an area just 20mins down the road called Paradise. We drove down yet another gravel road towards Paradise where we planned to camp for the night. We found a fantastic spot on the edge of the forest next to a creek looking out towards stunning mountain regions.

We were now ready to sleep in Isengard where the evil white wizard 'Saruman' was in his tower the film. After sauage omlette and potatoes cooked by myself we took some time once again to take in the awesome, infinite stars in the clear night sky, sillouetting the mountains and trees, amazing!!!


THURSDAY 28th - Isengard and a long drive... oh and some more sheep!

Up early we went straight to the best view point to capture the Isengard scenary from a bridge over the Dart River. As you can see a lot of Computer Generated Imagery was used create the scene, as well as a large model made in a set in Wellington, but the background plates of the mountains etc. is still visible. (feel like I've jumped back into writing my dissertation, argh!)
We didn't really do much else other than drive north, back through Queenstown. We did however stop off along the way at a winery for some wine tasting, owed by a family from England, ah so good to get some real New Zealand culture?!
We were heading towards the Fox Glacier up on the west coast and as day turned to night we needed to find somewhere to sleep for the night. We tried one beach called hunt's beach but it was by far the spookiest place we'd been, especially in the pitch black and seemed like private ground after passing a farm and what looked like a gypsy stop.
We carried on getting closer to the Fox Glacier and pulled into a picnic area at the bottom of the Glacier path, for spagetti bolognese and then a bit of 'the Office', curtisy of Chris, before bed.


FRIDAY 29th - The Glacier's.

Once again we were up early and headed straight for the Fox Glacier car park. It was quite along walk up to the glacier, but was definately worth it as the closer you got the more like a glacier it looked. It had a lot of rocks etc. covering it so was hard to recognise next the the rocky area before it. Once up close it was clear by the damp blue colours and shinig white ice that this was no rock formation. Chris and Matt cliimbed up closer to the glacier whilst filmed at the bottom, it was very cool. There were information notices all along the path to educate people in how the glacier works and is formed. The glacier is always moving advancing down the mountain side 100,000 times lower than a river and as it passes over large rocks, huge crevasses and peaks are formed, pushed up from the bed of the glacier moving over what ever it in it's way.

After taking in the sight we headed back to the van to travel further north towards the Franz Joseph Glacier. Sadly the sun had gone in behind the clouds so it didn't look quite as impressive, but was still an incredible sight! and funnily enough, a lot of ice!!!!!!!!!

Our plan was to now head east via Arthur's Pass and towards the South Islands largest city Christchurch.

The drive once again produced some incredible scenary, especially ascending, once again up mountains sides and down through deep forests.
That night we stopped in Arthur's Pass at a littel camping ground and went out for a much deserved beer after our walking at the Glacier's and then the long breathtaking drive through Arthur's Pass.


SATURDAY 30th - Back to the big city life.

We set off early in the morning towards Christchurch where we desperately needed internet and a big shop. This is where I am now and have been here for 4 hours writing the last 8 days of my life busy travelling life!

Christchurch is pretty cool, last night we went to see Will Ferrells new film Talladega nights, it was very funny and a bit of a treat after our recent nights out in the sticks!

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Photos

Lord of the Rings, Isengard
the back-drop is my previous picture

Comments

[monster]

hair today
what has jim henson created???!!!!