Milford Sounds good to me...

These pictures aren't of Milford Sound at all, but couldn't resist the tag, sorry... more of Milford later.
Since I last blogged I've had a lovely few days alternating good walks with more restful occupations. I headed off from Franz Josef towards Queenstown, but decided to jump off the bus and stay in Wanaka - a town beside an eponymous huge lake. What a great place - all the amenities of Queenstown, but much less commercialised. I did a few really nice walks there - the first being the one pictured. It took nearly three hours of continuous uphill walking in full overhead sunshine with many drink-and-breathing stops along the way before I emerged at the peak of Mt Roy. Well worthwhile, though; I wish you could see the full panoramic view. More breathtaking than the climb ...!
A couple of days later I took a shuttle bus 50kms - 30 of it on unsealed road (VERY bumpy, with the odd hazard of whole herds of sheep and cattle on the road), to Rob Roy Glacier Track. This was a bit less hard work, but an interesting climb among warnings of possible rockfalls, ending in a fabulous meadow just below the glacier, surrounded by peaks with waterfalls - indescribably beautiful. I can't think of anywhere I've enjoyed a picnic more (helped by the company of a divorced Brit-in-exile with whom I chatted, but, darn it, didn't get the address of his pad overlooking Auckland harbour...). Some you lose...
I'm in Queenstown now, which is "The Adventure Capital of the World". It is not large - 20,000 residents; but is totally focused on adrenalin. The whole of New Zealand is geared up for tourists, and does it well; everywhere you go there are i-sites, where you can get any information and help that you could possibly think of; there are backpackers' hostels in every town, however small. The only omissions, which may be deliberate to keep its charm, are ice-cream stalls at the halfway point of most of my walks. I look in vain for a big "M" for a McFlurry, but have to make do with my sandwich, banana, apple and water. I'm becoming very healthy. (My breakfast this morning of french toast, bacon, kiwi fruit and lashings of maple syrup must remain a secret between you and me.)
Every other shop in Queenstown is a company offering one of 170 activities on offer here - jetboating, paragliding, skydiving, rafting, white water surfing, and so on. Not forgetting the one invented here in the 80s - bungy jumping. I went to the bridge where it all started. The idea came from a tribal manhood ritual - I saw a video of naked pacific islanders jumping off a high tower made of branches - but they landed in the dirt below - think A.J.Hackett got it right when he substituted water for the 'landing'. I wasn't tempted to try it - luckily I have a doctor's note with me, thanks Dr Riley...!!
And so, on to what is the highlight of NZ for many people. A trip to Milford Sound. If you want to walk the track, you have to book well in advance - it entails 4 days' walking, staying in a hut, carrying all your gear including food and cooking utensils. February is so popular that you have to book now if you want to walk it in Feb 2010. I decided that I'm happy doing the day walks I can easily (and more cheaply) access, so I opted for a day trip to the Sound. This meant a very long drive - it's about 60kms as the crow flies from Queenstown to Milford, but by road it is 300kms. The journey was made very interesting by the coach driver - he was so knowledgable and enthusiastic, interspersing tales of the history of the region (Fiordland National Park), and how they keep it natural, with personal tales of his fishing and hunting trips. He talked for two hours without a break, all while negotiating some very narrow, twisting roads. All the drivers have seemed to be highly educated people, some with political views they love to get over to their captive audience.
On arrival at the Sound, we boarded a boat and had a lovely cruise through the fiords - it was a misty rainy day (7 metres of rain on average per year there), which made it very mystical and eerie. We spotted some fur seals on the rocks, and many of the native and migratory birds. An enchanting place which really deserves more time, but is very remote and therefore expensive for the budget traveller. On the list for a return visit sometime..
So now, after an overnight stop in Te Anau on the way back, I'm in Queenstown again. I've done some machine clothes-washing (you can't believe the luxury of almost-clean clothes; everything seems to have a constant film of dirt - a combination of suntan lotion, dust from walking tracks and sweat, which all seem immovable. Maybe I need some CILLIT BANG, what d'you think, Alex? - hmmmmmm).
Off to Southland next - Invercargill, Stewart Island and the Catlins. Trying to time my stay in Dunedin to coincide with the English cricket - may be there too early. But I have been set a challenge (thanks, Stephen) which I'll tell you about if I succeed with it, otherwise it's our secret. (Don't worry, I'm not going to streak).
Hasta la blogista!

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