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> Our guide for the day, Nijal in his BBQ bus picked us up at 7:30 a.m. Along with 7 others, we headed for Fjord Nat'l Park. It took us 7 hours since Nijal stopped often along the way so we wouldn't miss some fantastic views, waterfalls, Mirror Lake, and other short hikes where we spotted foxgloves, lupines and Mt Cook lilies--which are actually the largest buttercups in the world. While we were hiking a trail through a eire, deep & dark, moss covered woods, Nijal was cooking up a scrumptious lunch on his BBQ. We set out folding chairs next to a babbling, crystal turquoise blue stream..really never seen a stream this color...and devoured our lunch and the view. At Nijal's encouragement, we drank the icy cold water right from the stream. Back on bus, Nijal continued filling us in on info which made everything so much more interesting. Abundant rain is why the beech, lancewood & loblolly pine trees, ferns and shrubs (all native) are so thick and lush. Rog, of course, loved seeing the many geological features: sedimentary rock at 90degree, glacier till, moraines, glacial striation and massive rock slides. We were so awed by so many gorgeous views on the way...and then we loaded a boat and headed into the Milford Sound. You know the saying--you won't believe it until you see it! But it was more than seeing it. It was being in the middle. The 360 degree panoramic effect. The wind. The immenseness of the shear cliffs. The clarity of the deepest blue water. The fuzzy brown fur seals sprawled out on the boulders. The waterfalls making rainbows with their spray. When we reached the Tasmanian Sea, we turned around. The wind stopped and stillness took over. Incredible. Unforgettable.
> Back on the bus Nijal chatted on about all we asked about: Schools- 6-16 compulsory/ University costly, difficult to get into & through. Prime Minister Key-self made millionaire/donates salary to charity/NZers think he's selling off too much of NZ to foreigners. Tourism-growing leaps and bounds. Farms-mostly privately owned though many corporate owned/ dairy farmers hurting right now due to low prices/not enough sheep shearers & few young ones. Soon enough it was time to get dropped of in TeAnau right in front of The Lakeside Backpackers Hostel...home for the night.
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> Sent from my iPad
