The ferry ride

I never did get a chance to either blog or post pictures between San Fran and Blenheim.  Just a blurb I think.  It is absolutely essential that I try to catch this stuff as I think about it, so anyone who may be reading, forgive the ramblings of an eccentric old woman.  Oh wait, I'm not quite there yet.  OK, a nutso middle-aged broad.

We finally did arrive in Auckland, and the airport at 9 a.m. is nothing amazing.  The last time I was here I arrived at around sunrise, and remember sitting outside, basking in the warmth and sipping a flat white while waiting till it was time to get to the other terminal (domestic) for my next flight to Blenheim.  This time, we had only a brief respite to haul butts over, no time for a flat white or indulging the warmth.  Actually, this first day in Auckland was pretty darn warm and the trek (missed the terminal shuttle) was a bit overheating, albeit good movement after sitting on a plane for 12 hours.

Finally arrived in Wellington, noon-ish, and now, because we weren't staying for the night (we had done that in Frisco), we had no place to store our bags other than the ferry by checking them in.  It was a bit of a taxi ride from the airport to the Interislander Ferry, although I'm sure the driver took the longest way possible, and we enjoyed the incredible scenery.  Wellington is a beautiful city, especially midday, or really any time of day or night, and the ride was enjoyable and relaxing.  Got to the ferry, and found that we were early enough to catch the earlier ferry.  We could have done that, but I was pretty sure I wanted to catch the sunset from the boat, coming through the Marlborough Sounds.  The sun was due to set around an hour before landing in Picton, and there were a few clouds, so with any luck, we would see some amazing views.

The day was fairly clear, and the sun was warm, and we needed to recharge our batteries.  No, literally, our cell phones were almost dead.  So we settled into the Interislander lounge, found some outlets, and proceeded to charge up.  We had a few hours, but decided that a walk back into the downtown area for lunch (or another taxi ride) would be less enjoyable than relaxing by the harbour, breathing the fresh sea air, and basking in the warm sun.  We would eat on the boat during the brief period that we were mostly surrounded by water.  And so we sat and relaxed, enjoying the view of Wellington.

Then, suddenly it seemed, we were on our way.  Once out on the open water, the wind was pretty strong - and cool - but the view was worth it.  Staying on the second level down sheltered by the cabin helped a bit so that's where we stayed until we were out of sight of most land - or at least scenic views - like this one.

After grabbing a bite to eat at the small cafe on board, we ventured again outside to catch the sunset, as we were nearing the entrance to the Marlborough Sounds, a very scenic area with hills on both sides, and virtually uninhabited.  Lush green awaited us, and the sun was getting quite low in the sky.  Unfortunately, with no cloud, and not much colour, the long-anticipated sunset cruise was a bit of a wash, but still lovely.

By now, it was pretty cool on the deck, so we went inside for a glass of wine before docking.  Our friend Gary had said that we would have a great view through the glassed in deck at the stern (back) of the boat, but all the glass was completely dirty, and you could barely see through it.  Oh well, next time!

Looking back.... and forward

So.  Now that I'm back in the land of flat earth.  Having left the land of Middle Earth.  As seen on the terminal at the Wellington NZ airport.

What a joy and blessing to have experienced such a fantastic adventure.  And yes, adventure it has been.  So much so, that I never really had time to capture everything that I wanted to, as I was simply too busy adventuring.  And no, I don't really care that "adventuring" is not a real word.  It should be.

Did I mention that the whole thing started off with a bang?  Or rather, a really long wait in an airport.  Followed by an even longer wait on an airplane.  Followed by a really late (or early?) arrival in San Francisco.  Followed by an unexpected and delightful day in a city that I had never been to.  Although I wasn't able to catch the Golden Gate swathed in golden hour light, I did have the chance to cross it - while not driving myself - and therefore catch a couple of shots that most other people may not get.  How cool is that?

So, to start back at the beginning, and try to share the photos that I wasn't able to share before due to poor connectivity (or no connectivity, or no time), hopefully anyone who has chosen to follow along will not get too bored with the rhetoric, but as I have mentioned, I write this only for my own memories, and share to those who may have a passing interest.  (I should note at this point however, that if you are following, please click the "follow" button, then I don't have to share the link all the time.  Also, feel free to comment.  That way it becomes more of a conversation instead of me doing all the talking.  Blah blah.)

Maybe I should also mention that I'd like to try and keep the feeling alive.  Not only keep it alive, but keep it burning.  Keep the passion.  Keep the focus.  Make the memories stay brilliant.  Use this to launch the next adventure.  Which is what I wonder?  As soon as I'm done with this, I'm going to check my lottery tickets...

So I'm on one of those Hop on Hop off bus tours of San Francisco, instead of touring Wellington NZ, making the best of it on one of the coldest days in SF for eons.  And I was trying to escape the cold by going south.  So much for that.  But there I am with my friend and traveling companion Linda on the open top of a double-decker tour bus, freezing our butts off having not dressed for winter but for SF.  Go figure.  And the bus driver starts driving right across that old iconic bridge the Golden Gate.  No idea why they called it that, anyone else know?  I did read why they left it painted orange (strictly aesthetics, it looks really cool against the foliage and landscape on the "other" side of the bridge).

The wind is blowing hard (nothing to stop it), but somehow I manage to hold on to the camera, which I'm still getting used to (only had it a couple of weeks), set the exposure, and grab a few shots here and there.  I love this one for it's asymmetry, the colours, and the perspective.  It's a little unexpected.  But the light was right and I was having a blast.  I was riding across the Golden Gate bridge for pete's sake!

OK, now off to bed.  Need to get my body back into EST.  Wish me luck.

Nearing the beginning of the next journey

There is a sign (advertisement) in the Christchurch airport that reads "The end of every journey marks the beginning of the next one".  So on Wednesday (I think) we started approaching the beginning of the next journey.  Because that's way better than thinking that we are nearing the end of this journey.

Let me start with the morning after Mount Cook.  So sad to have to leave such a beautiful place.  So tempted to stay an extra half a day, go back up to the mountain in the hopes of seeing it in full daylight, so worth missing the Maori experience that is already booked and paid for in Christchurch for that evening.  But the chances of seeing it cloud free the second day in a row is, we know, very slim indeed.  So we press on, and leave Twizel, and our friend Ian, for a long drive back to Christchurch.

Driving across the country shows us yet another landscape, and the sky is blue with incredible clouds, it is very warm and very windy, and the driving is easy on relatively "flat" and "straight" roads.  Comparatively speaking anyway.  We do find a scenic lookout, and interestingly, one of the best photos of the day comes from looking in the opposite direction.

For the most part, this is a bit of a lunchbag letdown after the scenery we've been seeing for the last couple of weeks. It's still beautiful, just in a much different way.

Driving back into Christchurch, things seem familiar, and at the same time, it feels like it has been weeks since we were last here.  As we approach the hotel, we recognize many of the places our friend Ed showed us a few days ago, the Transitional Church, the tram, New Regent Street where we had coffee while trying to warm up and get dry.  That day it had been very cool and rainy, but today it's sunny and very warm, about 28 C.  No time to think about that, we have booked a package at Willowbank Nature Reserve, complete with a Kiwi tour, a Maori welcome and Haka and Hangi meal.  It starts at 4:30 and we have to battle rush hour traffic.  Which seems incredibly odd considering how little traffic we've had to contend with in the past week or more.

The Nature Reserve is a bit like a miniature African Lion Safari, with great learning programs for kids, very focused on conservation and also on making visitors feel that they are in an authentic environment.  It feels a a bit like we are walking through rainforest or jungle.  After meeting a number of  long-fin eels, several Kea (one of who tried to bite my butt, and another who tried to steal Linda's new necklace while sitting on her shoulder), a Tuatara, and a kiwi, we are treated to a traditional Maori welcoming ceremony, complete with chants and a scary looking chief.  This is followed by a very interesting musical performance and a real haka chant, then a wonderful Hangi meal (food cooked in pots that are buried in coals and earth for several hours), topped with New Zealand Pavlova and Hokey Pokey ice cream.  Tired and happy, we make our way back to the hotel, have a quick glass of wine and hit the sack.  

We had planned to meet our friend Ed for breakfast early this morning, so I got up as early as possible, and just barely caught the sunrise.  The room faces the largest area of devastation from the last earthquake, an area that used to be full of buildings, some of them very tall, that have since been cleared away, leaving an empty hole in the middle of the city where bustling activity used to be.  There are efforts being made to rebuild, but it's going to take a long time I think.  The emptiness and void were very glaring in the early morning light.

We have a wondeful breakfast with Ed, during which we recount our adventures of the past week and a bit, both Linda and I admit a desire to return and hit all the things we missed.  I love the smiles we get from him as we describe the places we saw, some of which he didn't even know about.  Now he is also keen to visit the Maoraki town lighthouse and The Chasm near Milford Sound.  So cool to inspire adventure in someone else.

All too soon it's time to hug farewell, vow to stay in touch, and then part ways.  Since the day has shaped up to be a deliciously warm and sunny day, we decide to revisit some of the places we saw with Ed in the rain.  The old church that was destroyed, and the 185 Chairs memorial.  It's a very different view of things, especially when I realize that all the chairs are facing the "temporary" Transitional Church (a.k.a. the Cardboard Church).  

A tiny bit more shopping in New Regent Street, and then it's time to return the rental car, 3,563 km after we picked it up.  We realize that we have driven in the past 12 days a distance equivalent to Niagara Falls to Calgary.  That doesn't include the miles we were passengers with Gary and Bridget, or with Ian.  Or the miles to get here to this unbelievable country.  

The statue at the Christchurch airport is stunning with the blue sky and green grass reflected in it.  I do a facebook live video and share this with everyone who might be interested by walking all around it.  

All too soon it's time to check our bags and head to Wellington.  The flight is quick, only 35 minutes.  But it's almost dinner time, and although it feels like we've already had a long day, we're hungry.  There's a burger joint not far, and we discover Cuba St. on our way.  After a great burger at BurgerFuel, we explore Cuba St. more carefully.  Most of it is closed off to traffic and is very multi-cultural.  Old buildings, some with date stones that go back more than a century (one was 1903), some art deco, and a Night Market that, if we had known about it, would have skipped the burgers.  There were street vendors all along from just about every country, street musicians, used book stores and vintage clothing stores.

Nothing fancy, but everyone there was having a good time, and we were no exception.  I introduce Linda to churros, and although already stuffed from excellent burgers, we delight in the freshly made cinnamon sugar twists with caramel sauce.

The topping on the cake (yes, even better than churros because there were no calories) was a young man playing a hanging drum - what are the odds?  We had just seen someone in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago playing this unique and hauntingly beautiful instrument, and now we see someone else playing, just as beautifully.  We contribute to his "hat" and learn that he is from Sweden, and as we are chatting with him, another couple approach and ask if he would be interested in working with them in their recording studio as they were looking for interesting and unusual musicians.  Fantastic.

I really do not want this to end, but tomorrow we will fly out, and I will have to catch up when we get home in a couple of days.  It will be time to start a new journey.

A stunning summer day

This was probably the most incredible day of the journey.  I crossed two big things off my bucket list - the Wanaka Tree and Mount Cook.  Yes, THE Mount Cook.

I'm too tired to tell everything, it will have to wait until another day.  But here's the RDCV:

Drive from Queenstown - the Crown Range road was recommended, GPS took a while to get us there, and when we did, hairpin turns all the way up at about 20 degrees.  Insane, but insanely beautiful at the top.  Then coming down was even more amazing.  The rest of the drive to Wanaka was stunning.  Got to Wanaka and found a parking spot fairly quickly, even though the place seemed incredibly busy.  Great restaurant for lunch, Big Fig, "slow food served fast".  Wonderful, and again the food was different here than anywhere else.

Messaged my friend to find out where the tree was, and he gave us very good instructions, which somehow we messed up, but eventually we found THE tree.  Cross one off the bucket list, although it was the middle of the day so lots of other people around, but it was sunny, and about 30 C.  So even though the lake was choppy, and the light wasn't great, I did get a few shots that I was fairly ok with.

After getting a quick sunburn, we carry on towards Twizel.  The Lindis Pass is between and we've been warned that we won't have a cell phone signal through the area.  We don't care, it is so beautiful.  Lots of lupins again, and the drive is fantastic.  Will post photos later.

But when we get to Twizel, it is wonderful to finally meet a friend that I made on facebook - but now in person.  Ian Riddler is a photography friend that I had hoped to meet while I was here.  Not only did he meet us joyfully, but he then drove us up to Mount Cook - and stopped at all the best vantage points along the way so I could get all the iconic shots.  It was amazing.  Especially since for most of the way, there was virtually no cloud on him, which is incredibly unusual, plus we had great sun and sky.

So I did get quite a few shots, and hopefully they turned out well enough to work with them.  This one is SOC, but it's not bad.  What an incredible day.

Filling my eyes, my tummy and my day

This morning we slept in.  Again.  This is vacation after all.  And although Queenstown has a ton of things to do and see, we loved Arrowtown so much last evening wandering around after dinner, that we decide to head back there for breakfast and browse through the shops while they are open.  There was a wool shop that I had seen that I would love to explore, and a couple of other interesting places.  So off we toddle, and the day is beautiful.  Warm, sunny with just a few delicate clouds, and it's almost hard to believe but it actually feels a bit like summer.

Breakfast is wonderful.  The food here is amazing, even in places that, back home, look to be "holes in the wall" or "greasy spoons".  Although they may not appear fancy, the care that is taken in the preparation is fantastic.  Most places serve home made baked goods, everything is prepared fresh it seems, and each place has it's own unique dishes.  We marvel at this, because it seems that back home, you get basically the same menu items everywhere, perhaps prepared slightly differently, but there is not as much variety.  So refreshing.  As an example, this morning, I have corn fritters, served with salsa and sour cream, "streaky" bacon (slices) and sauteed spinach.  So yummy!

After breakfast, the wool shop, "The Stitching Post" calls.  I find a few balls of the most wonderful 100% merino wool that is so soft it's like a cloud.  She has an amazing selection of New Zealand yarn, colours that I haven't seen in any other wool shops, and the shop is spacious and well laid out.  If this place was at home, I would visit frequently.  She also has lots of quilting supplies, and it's hard to resist buying much more than I know I can work with before I return here (yes, this is a must).  If you are ever in Arrowtown, and have even the slightest interest in needleworks, you simply must visit, it's delightful!

Then we find a little Jade store.  There are many stores here in NZ that sell jade (greenstone) since it is as common here as it is in BC, probably moreso.  And beautiful.  The same stores sell paua (like abalone) shell jewellery, an usually other local "stones" such as cats eye shells and pink coral.  All very lovely, and very hard to resist.  Soon it is time to head back to Queenstown, as we are being picked up by Nomad Safaris for the Glenorchy Lord of the Rings Tour.

After a quick freshen-up, we head out to the front of the lodge just moments before the Land Rover pulls up, and the driver is delightful.  A gentleman originally from Argentina, he informs us that we are the only ones on this particular tour.  Yayyyy!  This means we will have a great view of the ride up to Glenorchy and a somewhat more relaxed and less rushed trip, since there are only two of us getting in and out to take photos.

The tour consists of a number of stops, where the guide (Santiago) shows us photos of scenes from the LOTR movies, as well as other movies that have used the very same scenes. We have lots of fun shooting our own photos, from lookouts like "the million dollar view", "Paradise" and "Lothlorien".  When we get to the Beechwood forest that served as the location for the Elvin forest, Santiago pulls out capes and swords and tea and coffee and cookies and banana bread, and we have afternoon tea in Lothlorien.  A couple of locals stop in as well, a small wood mouse, and a couple of South Island robins (so cute) hoping for a few crumbs.

The scenery is breathtaking, and we fill our eyes on the four hour plus tour.  As for most days on this amazing trip, we have already had a very full day, but with only one meal in us for the day, it's also time to fill our tummies.

After freshening up, we make our way back downtown (thankfully it's only about a 15 minute walk into downtlown Queenstwon), to have some dinner on the harbourfront.  Since I haven't had any seafood yet, I choose the prawns with linguine in a garlic and white wine cream sauce.  Scrumptuous!

So, another night when internet is somewhat limited, so I will have to post a few photos later.

Some summer....

Back a few months ago, my friend Gary mentioned that when the Santa Ana winds are giving North Americans a milder than usual climate, that the southern hemisphere can often see the opposite effect.  I wondered at the time if that meant that when visiting New Zealand, it could be a yucky summer and he thought it could.  Hmmmm...

So far, since being here, it has been summer-like weather about a total of 1 day.  And we've been here for 11 days.  It has been cloudy, cool, and often wet (although never pouring rain) or at least damp.  But yesterday was the most interesting.

At breakfast, our host at Shakespeare House B and B in Te Anau asked what our plans were and we mentioned that we were heading for the Glowworm Caves.  He suggested we dress warm because the caves could be quite cool.  Little did we know that it was actually going to be the ride down to the caves on a boat that would be blistering cold.  It felt like being in a snowstorm without the snow.  The wind out on the lake was incredibly strong, to the point where the tour commentator suggested that anyone on the top deck outside (us of course) make sure they hang on to everything that wasn't attached to make sure it didn't blow away.  Yup.  This is summer?  The sunny south?  At least it didn't rain.

The Glowworm caves were amazing, even though I had seen them before.  In many ways, it was even better this time.  I knew what to expect, and I knew that I needed to "fill my eyes" as Linda says, and try to remember everything I see.  There are no cameras of any kind allowed to be used in the caves, so everything we see we will need to try and remember.  So as we see the delicate "fishlines", like incredibly tiny strings of diamonds, and the lights from countless glowworms, including some larger bright ones and some smaller not so bright ones, it really does look like stars in the sky.  It even looks like some constellations at times.  I see Orion, and the Little Dipper, Andromeda, and even my own sign, Cancer.  They glow greenish (to my eyes) and the effect is so magical, it almost brings tears to my eyes.  The thought that passed through my tiny brain is "Thank you God for giving these magical tiny creatures to a people and country that will care for them and protect them".  I imagine that in many countries, they would be exploited until they are extinct.  But here, they are well cared for, and much work is being done to preserve their habitat.

After returning to Te Anau, we opt for lunch, and I'm hopeful that we can find the place that I remember from my last visit to this lovely town.  The name escapes me, until I notice a small alley with a sign that points toward a restaurant.  It looks familiar so we check it out.  As soon as we enter, I recognize the decor, and it seems that the tables have not even moved in 7 years.  This was the place that I first had Pavlova, that lovely dessert that I have pined for ever since.  The weather has finally brightened up, and warmed up, so we sit outside.  Lunch is fabulous, and although we had tried pavlova at the New Years Eve get together at Gary and Bridget's, I insist that we have it here, as I'm convinced it will be different.  Better.  And it was.  Amazing.  Light and fluffy and marshmallow-y on the inside, and slightly crunchy on the outside like a meringue cookie.  With fresh, in season, blueberries to boot.

After lunch, we do a bit of souvenir hunting, and then we are off to Queenstown.  The weather has turned gray and cool again as we drive northward, but we stop occasionally anyway to grab some shots.  The ever-present sheep are everywhere, and the terrain changes as we drive, from mountains to plains and valleys and back again to mountains.  We even see an alpaca farm.

As we get closer to Queenstown, I find myself remembering much of the route, obviously it had made an impression on me.  I even take a couple of the same shots.  Seemingly with the same weather.  Hopefully this time, I can improve them a bit better with the new knowledge I have of photography and the software to use to clean up the photos.

Finally we are in Queenstown, and Google maps has been pointed to our resting place for the next few days.  One thing to note when booking accomodation is that sometimes, it's worth it to pay a bit more.  Just sayin'.  Driving along, and miss google maps telling me to turn right then left then right then left makes sense in a city that is basically built on the side of a mountain range and around a lake.  But when it tells us that we have reached our destination, and there is a 30 degreen hill in front of us, well, it's a bit disconcerting.  Keep in mind, when we arrived in Christchurch, the car rental place had indicated they were all out of Corollas, and wondered if we would be ok with a free upgrade to a Highlander 4x4, which of course we were, we didn't realize WHY.  Both of us believing strongly that everything happens for a reason, we had no idea that a 4x4 would be required just to get to one of our hotels.  Even this huge thing that is meant for climbing is whining at the steep hill we go up.  Then, there's no visible parking.  A kind gentleman who has just arrived as a guest points us toward a second lot, that is in behind the building, but the squeeze is tight, and I have to drive quite slowly to maneuver between the building and the retaining wall to get to that second lot.  We get the very last spot it seems, at least, the last spot that this big beast will fit into.

The room is not luxurious, but it's clean and we find the bar for a quick pizza before heading to bed.

This morning started off partly sunny and fairly warm.  Finally summer!  But we take jackets just in case, and since the forecast is for rain, we opt to take our time and just take a day off to do some shopping.  There is so much to do in Queenstown, but we've been going at it pretty hard, and we need a break.  My friend Ian has recommended a place called Ivy and Lola's for breakfast or lunch, and so far, he has been dead on.  Although the walk seems daunting (if the car whined about coming up the hill to the hotel, we are likely to as well) but since it's reasonable, we can at least walk down, and then bring an Uber or taxi back up if required.  Off we go, Ian is right again, and we revel in a marvelous brunch, one is a brioche french toast, the other is a smoked potato and feta croquette with poached eggs and hollandaise.  Fantastic.

We buy a few treasures, mostly wander about, are entertained at a pub where we stop for a drink by a couple of happy drunks who get cut off and asked to leave, then discover a fellow Canadian working at a liquor store where we stop for a bottle of wine to share later.  By now, the weather has finally cleared (it was raining as we ate brunch), and warmed up quite a bit.  Head back to the hotel, then decide to go to Arrowtown for a bit of supper, not much required after the huge brunch.  The Blue Door was recommended by Ian, and now by us.  Fantastic.  Definitely coming back here on my next visit to NZ!!!

We wander about Arrowtown for a bit, and discover a lovely cottage for sale that was a B and B at one point, but looks to be somewhat abandoned.  If only.  Gotta check those lotto tickets.  Such a beautiful little town, a little bit like Niagara on the Lake, a little St. Jacobs, a little bit Fergus/Elora.  All the shops are closed, but we have nothing planned for tomorrow morning, so we could come up here for a little bit, since there is a yarn shop....(those who know me understand this).

We end the day by discovering a fairly decent spot to shoot the sunset, but unfortunately, the sunset doesn't turn out to be much but cloud.  One shot that's not too bad, but will need to take some more, hopefully tomorrow evening will pan out.

Tomorrow is LOTR tour in the afternoon, and hopefully the gondolas/skyline adventure in the evening.  Perhaps it will be nice out!

How many times in a day can you say "Wow!"?

Ok, so I know haven't written anything in a couple of days, so I'll try to get it all in here, hoping that my internet connection stays strong.

The plan on Thursday was to drive from Dunedin down to some place called "Nugget Point Lighthouse", which I had seen on the "things to do in NZ" website, but didn't really have any sense of what it was like.  Although I had also seen a number of other possible things to do in the area, the lighthouse was pretty high on the list.  Having already learned that the "scenic route" anywhere was worth taking, we were keeping our eyes open.  And we hadn't even gotten onto the highway when we saw one, so off to the left towards the ocean we drove.

Within minutes there was a sign for "Tunnel Beach", one of the things that I had hoped to see, and another thing that I didn't really know much about except that I had seen a photo online and it looked pretty.  When we got to the parking area it was pretty full, only one spot left.  The sign said "Beach, 1 hour return".  Hmmm.  I think I can do that, and we have a fair bit of time.  So off we go.  The first section is gravelly, loose, and fairly steep, and it quickly becomes apparent that the 1 hour return is probably going to be 15 minutes down and 45 minutes back up.  So we keep going.  Down.  Further.  Down some more.  And more.  More steeply, and soon we realize that it''s probably more than 1 hour unless you're an Olympic athlete, which neither of us is.  Uh oh.  But then we get a glimpse of the tunnel.  And the trek back up is definitely going to be worth it.  We hope.

This is unreal.  Wow.  Down some more.  And more.  And more.  Beginning to wonder if these new-fangled leg muscles are actually defective.  But then we're there, and it's amazing.  Wow.

Now that I see the pictures I took, I can't believe I ddn't take more.  But I think I was simply awestruck.  Seeing people on top of the formation as tiny specks, then looking up at where we had come from, and it just put things in a whole new perspective.  I wish I could post all my photos, but you'll just have to keep watching for later posts.  The trek back up is long, arduous, and character-building.  But I think my stamina is starting to return.  I only stop a couple of times for air, and wish mildly for a defibrillator.

Back in the car, we are silent for a while, it was just too much to take in the grandeur.  Too bad the sky was so gray, but the weather doesn't always cooperate with travel plans.  Next stop, Nugget Point Lighthouse.  

Although I have punched in the destination into Google maps on my phone, we don't really need it.  There are signs that make it quite clear where to go.  Sort of.  But of course, the drive there is half the fun, and we find some lovely scenery along the way.  The sun has decided to finally cooperate, and the tide is on it's way out.  

The drive up to the top of the "hill" to see Nugget Point Lighthouse is at times somewhat narrow and not for the faint of heart.  But this pales in comparison to yet another long hike and climb.  A sign warns "beware of cliffs", another "caution, exposed sections".  Ok, so we'll stay to the inside, and to hell with the "keep to the left" shit.  The view is stunning, and we haven't even gotten there yet.

Hiking out to the lighthouse is not as steep, either up or down, as the previous walk of the day at Tunnel Beach.  But once out there, it is much more apparent how incredibly high up we are.  The sign "beware of cliffs" takes on more meaning.  The sea is an amazing shade of blue-green, and we can see a few seals way down on the beach.  The wind is so strong that it feels like it could blow away anything you haven't got a good grip on.  It is mesmerizing.  Wow.

Time to head back.  We have a long drive to Te Anau yet, and we're not sure of what we'll find for supper.  But it's all good.  We roll in about 7 p.m., and the host at Shakespeare House B&B assures us that we should be able to find something to eat, most places are open till 9 (and it is Friday night).

This morning we woke early to make sure we had breakfast (it was awesome, thanks Ray!) and head out to have lots of time to stop on the way to Milford Sound.  The tickets are for the 1:35 cruise, but it's a couple of hours drive time, and I'm pretty sure we'll need an extra couple of hours to stop and gawk at the scenery.  I wasn't wrong. But the wind is strong along Lake Te Anau and quite cold.  So we don't stay anywhere very long.  Even so, by the time we get closer (about 2/3 of the way) to the departure point, we find we are getting pretty low on time.  So it makes sense to keep going, and then stop on the way back at the scenic lookouts.

The drive itself, as my friend Ian had mentioned, was worth it.  Every five minutes, one of us is saying "Wow!".  The mountains, the plains, the clouds, the raw beauty, is simply breathtaking.  And it just keeps getting more amazing the further we go.  Finally, we reach the parking lot and it is packed, but a young lad helps us find a spot.  Then we have to rush to get our boarding pass, and it is only a few minutes till we are safely tucked on the Real Journeys M.V. Sinbad.

It is raining and very chilly, but then, we are in a temperate rain forest.  The advantage to rain here is that there will be many extra waterfalls.  There are five permanent waterfalls, but many narrow (but very long/tall/high?) waterfalls that are mostly just runoff.  For the most part, we don't even take too many pictures, because it's not possible, even with a wide-angle lens, to capture what we're seeing, it's simply too big, and we are too close.  Wow.

More photos to follow.  There are a few, but because of the rain, my lens had some water spotting that was hard to keep up with, so I need to take care of many photos before sharing.

On the way back to Te Anau after the cruise, we do take time to stop at a couple of the places we missed going up to the Sound.  The best was The Chasm.  Or maybe it was the field of lupins.  Or maybe it was the kea (mountain parrot).  Well, anyway, we kept saying "Wow!" every few minutes.