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Next day we explored Milford Sound. This is a very different place to Doubtful Sound-much more austure and on a grander scale.
The drive was superb- most of the journey took us through the National Park which is one enormous temperate rain forest. Finally we arrived in the middle of bleak and snowy mountains at Homer Tunnel, the only way into the Sound. We had to stop at the traffic lights- well what do you expect in the middle of the wilderness! While we waited for the green light, the Keas arrived! They are very large, aggressive and inquisitive mountain parrots- the Mafia of the bird world! They love to scavenge and will try to eat anything. They have developed a particular liking for windscreen wipers, and wing mirrors- both of which they try to take away with them! Tourists stopped to take pictures and were enchanted when the Kea landed on their roofs. Until they realised the birds true intentions,then they started to panic and tried desparately to move the mob who were settling in to a light supper. The antics of the drivers kept us rivetted until sadly the lights changed!
Finally we reached Milford Sound and our boat. This Sound is much more touristy and full of boats- the jetty was as busy as a cross channel passenger ferry terminal.
We loved the place and the commentary from the boat crew was excellent. The fiord has sheer cliff walls( in places as high as a 50 storey building ). The walls are mixture of jagged rock and forest with the occasional landslip. Once again there were wonderful waterfalls and an abundance of wildlife. Near the entrance to the Tasman Sea there is a special beach where Maoris continue to collect jade stone.
Trivia of the day:_Apparently the Sound was discovered by a Welshman who named it after his home town!
We loved Milford Sound, but for both of us, Doubtful Sound will hold a special place in our hearts.
After another day in Te Anau we headed south again- to the far south of the island. We stopped for coffee in yet another quirky place. The gardens were full of llama, donkeys,deer and emu! The coffee was good! We travelled through Invercargill( which looked a great place, but we were short of time- we would love to explore it again sometime) before heading north again through The Catlins.
This area was one of the finds of the trip. It is a beautiful and totally unspoilt part of the country- it was like stepping back in time. We had intended to stay for 1 night and in the end stayed for 3! The coast line is sensational and there are wonderful wooded hillsides as well. We stumbled on a seaside place called Kaka Point and nearby Nuggett Point. At Nuggett Point are colonies of fur seals, sea lions AND yellow eyed penguins! We spent hours watching these delightful creatures from the hide on the cliffs above their beach. They were amusing and amazing - the way they interacted with each other and waddled up the beach to dry off before waddling uo the cliff track to their burrows. It reminded us of market day where every one meets to catch up with the latest gossip before returning home again. We usually stayed until dark when we down through the crystal clear waters as the penguins swam around the kelp in search of food.
In Keka Point we found fantastic B and B overlooking this wonderful coast.Further south is an amazing petrified forest- it is supposed to be the best example in the world of this strange phenomenon.It was created by volcanic activity destroying the forest before the area became flooded by rising water levels....the trees regrew and the cycle repeated itself. As the layers of sediments became compressed, the silica in the soil replaced the timber before the whole thing was flooded again. Eventually the waters subsided and the petrified forest remained. I hope that is clear because we shall test you on your knowledge when we return!
Another great find were the Cathedral Caves- reached by a 4km. dirt road and a tramp through the bush before a stroll along golden sands. They are only reachable at low tide for 4 hours at a time. The rock formations are amazing and got their names because they looked like...with their high arching structures.
Finally we went to Niagara Falls- a whimsical local named them - they are a miniature and I mean miniature version of the real U.S version.
The Catlins are a great place and often missed by travellers- if any one goes to N.Z they are a must see.
From there we travelled north to Dunedin, a very pleasant city and to the beautiful Otago Penninsula. Dunedin was modelled on Edinburgh- the lay out and the names are very Scottish- it even has shops where you can buy kilts and clan replicas. The Railway Station is the most photographed building in N.Z and it obvious why when you see it- a wonderful Victorian creation which has been lovingly restored to its former glory.
The town was full of young people and their parents- the new academic year was about to begin at the university( the biggest and best in New Zealand). The youngsters looked very nervous at the prospect of being abandoned - they looked far less street wise and much younger for their age than U.K teenagers. The Botanical gardens are a lovely place to walk- bush walks, cutural areas, regeneration areas....and several water features. Roses are important part of gardens in South Island and the ones here are magnificent.
Dunedin has a soft, provincial feel and would be a very pleasant place to live.But we have not time to put down roots- next stop Wanaka!
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