More time on the road. Destination: Milford Sounds / Fjordland. One cannot underestimate the beauty of this region. Photos that I’ve seen from this place have been totally amazing. Milford Sounds can only be accessed by a dead end road from down south. With no petrol stations on the way or in the end kind of mystify that place even more.
But once again. Let’s not rush things ahead of us.
There are kilometers uncounted, scenery unseen, roads untraveled, glaciers not conquered before the destination. First time throughout the beeing in NZ, this is the first really cloudy day (probably due to the geographical position it’s like that in this region most of the time). Therefore, the famous glaciers with the fastest moving everlasting ice on it, remain in the distance of a view this time.
After a quiet start in the glaciers, Te’Anau is the target for tonight. It is the closest place to Milford Sounds (a bit under 200km) to spend the night in. But thanks to exceeding abilities of the good old Palmy on the mountain-roads, the 7-hour trip is cut to 6-hour one and nice cottage on top of another mountainside is waiting for the sleepy and tired travelers few hours before midnight.
Next day. Milford Sounds.
Starting this journey along the ‘road that has an end’ of course surprises with the road sign of ‘better tank up if you wanna make it back’. And thanks to the fact that this sign was about 25 km-s forward from the last gas station, it means an instant 50 km extra. I mean, what the hell, why didn’t you put the sign after the last gas station? But, no worries. Palmy is quick and Palmy is enthusiastic.
All good, the journey starts. Half of the road is nicely on flat between gigantic hills.
And continues through these.
And this is it. Milford Sounds. Unfortunately, it’s way way to windy here. So the picture of crystal clear fjords between snowy mountains is only a dream today.
After a 3 hour boat-cruise along the fjord up to the ocean and back, it’s time to head back to the civilization again. So, was the whole thing worth it? I think it was. Not quite what I was expecting, but then again, lot of places never are, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. Maybe in some quiet and still early morning during the sunset, the place would look a lot better. Maybe next time..
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