Susan's Travel Sagas

12-1-2009

Awoke to an overcast day, low clouds obscured part of the mountains. No other guests at breakfast and had the usual with a fried egg.  The option was there for a full English breakfast, but that didn’t really appeal to me. I got my things together and departed for the drive to Milford Sound. It was supposed to be a two hour drive, but really could be done in less time except for the fact that one has to go through Homer Tunnel which is only one way at a time and the direction changes only every 15 minutes. I stopped for a few photo ops along the way. At the first, a view scene, as I got back into the car I could see a tractor coming down the road behind me with a flashing light. Behind it was this huge herd of sheep. I took a quick picture and took off because I preferred to be in front of the sheep, not behind them.  As recommended by Merle, the B&B hostess, I stopped at Mirror Lakes. She said much better to do so in the morning because there is less wind and the reflections are better.  

I arrived at Milford Sound with about ten minutes to spare by the time I walked the 10-15 minutes from the car park to the station where all the boats left from. It was fairly windy and overcast for all the ride with some very brief episodes of drizzle. There were a number of nice high waterfalls. The only animals seen were some fur seals. I talked for some time with a couple from the UK who sat at my table - Bill and his wife, (she was originally from Romania.) They were very nice - he runs an employment agency and she is involved in something to do with hospitality and tourism. On the way back the boat stopped and I realized it was my time to get off as I was going to the underwater observatory. I only had time to  verbally give them my e-mail - would be nice to stay in touch.

The underwater observatory was quite interesting. There were viewing windows to ledges outside where all we saw was natural.  There were fish, sea anemones, coral, sea stars, etc.  Most of the people who got off the boat with me spoke German, so I asked the observatory man for a tour in English which he kindly gave, He was from the UK, but came a number of years ago and stayed as a scuba instructor. At the end, he got me a book about the observatory (which I think had a cost) and just gave it to me. A different boat came and picked us up for the short ride back.

I then did the drive back with some side trips and short walks. Took a longer drive down a gravel road and then a 15-20 minute hike up to see the very high Humboldt Falls. I thought no one would be there, but met a young Dutch couple who quit their jobs in April and were sort of traveling around the world.  Walked to another “rapids” called Gantry which was part of a trail to a more distant lake and met an older Israeli man as I was taking a picture. He was part of two couples traveling together, so we spoke briefly.

As I approached Te Anau, it began to rain. When I got in town, I called the Redcliff Café where I had wanted to eat the night before, and they were able to take me right away.  I had a really good dinner of wild hare which I had never eaten before. It is not like rabbit (which is like chicken), but more like a game meat. Then back to the House of Wood B&B.