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We drove from Queenstown to Te Anau which is a nice town by the lake we found out about Milford Sound tours and then headed up the road towards Milford. The road to Milford sound is often blocked or closed due to land slides. We were lucky enough that there had just been a landslide but they had manage to clear it a day before we arrived. Due to roadworks it was closed at night but we were able to get up to Lake Gunn which is a lovely small DOC site on the side of the lake. There were so many sandflies!!! So the lake was mainly enjoyed from inside the van but we were close to the road closure so when it opens in the morning we could get on one of the first boats with out waking up too early! Driving to Milford was awesome the landscape got more exciting and dramatic the closer we got. The Homer Tunnel takes the road under Mt Talbot (2105m) and Mt Bell (1965m) is probably about 1km long and is hand calved out of bedrock with random metal plates holding it together . . . We were glad to get to the other side!! once we did we really got a feel for the Fiord landscape and how dramatic it is!
We managed to get a really good deal by catching a Jucy cruise boat that was cheaper as it was at 9:15am and we also had 10% off vouchers AND we got free coffee, tea and a muffin - happy James and Debs! The cruise was AMAZING! We were lucky enough to go on a sunny morning where the clouds rose up the mountains as it got warmer. The Fiord was just spectacular from the waterfalls to the snowcapped peaks to the cliffs and seals and and dolphins! We loved it, definitely a highlight of the trip!
Afterwards we spent a while helping a Spanish guy called Juan (who we met the night before at Lake Gunn) find some start plugs for his car battery as he had left his lights on from the tunnel :/ He sorted it out in the end then we were back on our way.
We spent the afternoon driving and stopping down the Milford road to Te Anau to check out the DOC info site to see about walking - or in James's case running the Kepler Track. Our original plan was to stay in the first hut and for James head off first thing in the morning to run the rest and me to walk back with the bag. But that couldn't happen as the hut was fully booked and it also cost mega $$ to stay there! So we ended up camping for the night at Henry Creek DOC site which was in the woods right by the Te Anau lake. We woke up really early in the morning and drove to the start of the Kepler where James set off with a few layers, food and water in his bag! He managed to complete a 55k track with a 1500m climb up to Mt Luxmore (and down and up again!). The track is estimated can take up to 20hrs (most people do it in 2 or 3 days) James did it in 6:30hrs!!!!! I had a very important job of walking to meet him and keep him company for the last 6k and of course look after the van!
James says the track is very well maintained with beautiful views. He was lucky to get it in such good weather as the the sun was shining and the mist was rising! There were open alpine sections with snowcapped mountains, steep rockfaces, lakes, waterfalls, forests and rivers. It's the longest distance that he has ever run. The first 3hours were really enjoyable and the last 3 were really hard!
As a treat we camped the night at Possum Lodge a nice site at Manopouri where we could use a kitchen and most importantly James could have a long hot shower!!
I went for a run the next morning and was puffing and panting at about 3miles . . . Not quite ready to run the Kepler Track!
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