Pining for the Fjords

We’re back in Queenstown for Entrepreneur’s Organization University, the “real” reason we’re in NZ, and we’ve seen some amazing things since our last post.
It was a tough trip to Queenstown from Wanaka. We went over the Crown Range, the highest paved road in NZ. Fortunately, we were going the easy direction. Though that still meant we had a 40 km climb, that got much steeper at the top. I had to get off and push for the last kilometer and Pancho for the last 500m. I was moving so slowly I was about to fall over, which on a super narrow road with no shoulder would surely mean getting run down by a campervan full of tourists. Of course, going up the easy side meant a screaming descent on the other side. You know it’s bad when you can smell your brakes burning out. We rewarded ourselves with lunch and cider in Arrowtown, an historic mining town on the outskirts of Queenstown.

The road we rode up...

At the top of the Crown Range

The road ahead. Check your brakes now!

We woke up in our tent in Queenstown to rain, cold, and unbelievably sore legs. This prompted a little conference regarding the cycling plan and led to the formulation of plan B.
We hopped on the bus to Te Anau, the gateway to Fiordland National Park, one of the most spectacular and remote areas in NZ. We had originally planned to cycle there, but then came plan B. It would have been two very long days on the bike, and our intel revealed that there would be a serious headwind for most of the way. Once we were on the bus, we were very pleased with plan B: the route was much hillier than we had thought and the even the bus struggled through the stiff winds. The only drawback for me was that we had planned to camp on an alpaca farm along the way, and I was weirdly excited about it. Fortunately, I made up for the wildlife viewing the next day.
Te Anau is a backpacker’s haven. It’s the starting point for several of the “Great Walks,” as they call some of the iconic hiking trails here, including the most famous of all, the Milford Track. (Trails are tracks; hiking is tramping) We felt right at home, with everyone walking around in boots, with packs and gear, either heading out or just coming in from the trail. There is also a big grocery store (not common in most of the smaller towns here) that is re-supply central.
Instead of hiking, on this trip we were on the water, going kayaking on Milford Sound, one of the most beautiful places in the country. The Fiordland NP has 16 sounds, with Milford being the only one accessible by road. There are a fair number of small cruise boats and tour boats there, but paddling is definitely the best way to see the sound. Technically, the sounds are all fjords, a sound being a river valley filled in by seawater and a fjord being a glacial valley. Apparently, the Kiwis compensated for the mistake by naming the Park properly, though they then misspelled it.

The Homer Tunnel, en route to
Milford Sound.

The road down from the Homer Tunnel.

Nomenclature aside, the Sound is spectacular. We paddled through an area only accessible to kayaks at high tide that was like entering a primordial forest. There were branches hanging down across the water, covered with moss and orchids. Afterwards, we headed out into the Sound proper. The day started out rainy, which is a mixed blessing at Milford. The water was flat and perfect for paddling, But best of all, there were waterfalls everywhere. The Sound is surrounded by sheer mountains, and after rain, water pours down the rock faces, so there are streams of all sizes cascading down all around you.

Milford Sound.

Bowen Falls, the largest permanent
waterfall at Milford Sound.

Pancho and Nachita on the water.

I also got in my wildlife quota to make up for missing the alpacas. Lots of young male seals live in the Sound, before they’re able to compete for the females in the colonies out on the coast. In the kayaks, we were able to get really close and just sit watching them. Now, we also know that there are animals lazier than our cats.

Milford seal.

Lazy beasts.

We had another wildlife encounter on the ride back to Te Anau—with the notorious kea, the naughty parrot of the South Island. We stopped at The Chasm, a river channel with amazing rock formations, and found a kea patrolling the parking lot, looking for snacks or cars to eat. Apparently, rental car agreements here contain a clause denying responsibility for kea damage. Yikes!

Looking down into the Chasm. Off
the Milford Road.

Naughty parrot.

Don't feed the kea if you want to keep
your finger.

Now we’re happily ensconced at the hotel in Queenstown—it’s been raining all night and day, so we’re very happy to not be in the tent. There are some great events planned, and we will be braving the rain this afternoon for a ride on the Shotover Jet Boat. Keep following along!