Today mum and dad treated me to a trip to Milford Sound, supposedly the highlight of New Zealand. I have to say I had very high expectations of this trip, and I have to say the trip did not meet my high expectations. The trip exceeded my expectations 100-fold, 1000-fold, 1,000,000-fold or more!!! I am truly at a loss for words to describe this amazing day and this amazing place. I have visited 60-70 countries in the world and the trip to Milford Sound and Milford Sound itself have to be in the top few places in the world in my opinion. How many ways can I say breath-taking, beautiful, amazing, etc. I truly recommend everyone to visit it if they ever come to NZ. It's absolutely breathtaking and is truly a highlight.
+Passed the 45-degree south latitude marker.
+Saw snow-capped mountains, towering peaks, teaming waterfalls.
+Had a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride through Te Anau downs and the snow-capped mountains. The bus had a glass top for viewing the high mountains on either side of the road.
+Took a two-and-a-quarter-hour cruise on Milford Sound.
+Milford Sound actually isn't a sound at all. A sound is carved by a river. Milford Sound was carved by a glacier, so technically it's a fiord.
+Went through the Homer Tunnel.
+Trees grow on the mountain sides even though there's no top soil. First lichen grow on the mountain, then trees latch onto the lichen and other vegetation and other trees and dig their roots into any niche or opening they can find on the mountain. When one tree falls off, it often brings other with it -- called a tree avalanche.
+Saw fur seals sunbathing on the rocks.
+Saw kea birds (like big parakeets).
+The sun came out - beautiful, but it was at times very windy, which was actually quite fun!
+The best description I can come up with is to imagine Yosemite Valley semi-flooded with water and you have to take a boat out on the water to view it. It's on the scale of Yosemite and Grand Canyon.
+Thanks mum and dad. It was one amazing treat. It was so amazing, I think it's my birthday and Xmas present all in one for the next several years!!!!
