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On our way out of Queenstown the next morning we couldn't resist stopping at the Kawarau Bridge, home to the worlds first commercial bungy jump. We had no intention of jumping ourselves but they have a fantastic viewing platform for you to watch the other nutters jumping. It was hilariously entertaining to see the terror in their faces and know that there was no terror headed our way! After an hour or so at the bridge we had some lunch in the van before getting on the road to a small lakeside town called Te Anau. Our reason for stopping there is because it is the gateway to the famous Milford Sound, voted the number one thing to see when in New Zealand. Milford Sound is located in Fiordland National Park and the Sounds are best described as very steep sided glacial carved valleys which have over thousands of years been backfilled by rising sea levels There are many sounds along the south west coast of New Zealand however Milford Sound is the most accessible and as such plays host to many cruises and scenic flights allowing you to explore the unspoiled scenery. We arrived at Te Anau late in the afternoon and headed straight to the information centre to sort out booking onto one of the cruises. For only being a tiny hamlet with only one hotel and no amenities there are around 5 companies offering their version of a cruise down the same stretch of water. We had been given a 2 for 1 voucher from the company we had rented the campervan from and on looking into the different tours we decided it was the best deal so we called and booked ourselves onto the 11.30am cruise the following day. By the time we left the tourist information the howling wind could have taken the skin off your face so we headed to the nearby campsite and spent the evening relaxing in the camps cozy TV lounge.It was an early start the next morning as the guide book suggested it was a 2 hour drive to Milford Sound as there were plenty of things to stop and see along the way. Unfortunately we were only a few minutes on the road when it became obvious that the fog around the camp was more widespread than we hoped. You couldn't see to the other side of Lake Te Anau and it soon dawned on us both that we would be wasting our money to go on a tour of something that you couldn't see through the mist! We rather disappointingly headed back to town to try to come up with a plan B. The first stop was the phone box to postpone the cruise to the following day however on talking to the tour operator in Milford she advised us that it was sunny and bright and still worth coming down for the cruise. So it was back in the van and on the road to Milford with our fingers crossed that the weather out there would hold. Skepticism was really setting in when we got about 5km from Milford and it was still raining and the fog seemed to be getting worse. It actually prompted a "if its sunny in Milford I will get my willy out and put it on the counter at the booking office" from Michael! That reason alone had me crossing my fingers for the last 5km and we could both barely believe our eyes when about 2km from Milford the clouds started to lift and you could actually see blue sky! By the time we parked up the van the sun was splitting the sky and whilst it was still cold it wasn't foggy so we were in for some pretty spectacular views and I don't mean Michaels willy! The cruise was to last 90 minutes and would travel out along the left side of the fiord to where it meets the Tasman sea then we turn around and travel back to the dock along the other side. There were outdoor viewing platforms and an indoor seating area and whilst it was absolutely freezing we wanted unspoiled views so we braved the outside deck. The views are out of this world as you sail down a relatively narrow river like straight you are surrounded by tall and overpowering mountains which are so huge they completely dwarf everything around you confusing your senses by making really large formations seem small in comparison to the surroundings. There were literally dozens of waterfalls some of which could be traced right to the top of the mountain and tracked as water ran down the entire length of the rock face into the fiord below. Everywhere you looked there was another breathtaking view and as you traveled down the fiord the angles you viewed things would change and completely alter the view. We couldn't stop taking photos as you would capture an amazing scene then a minute later it would look even better so you had to take another photo. Before we knew it we were at the mouth of the Tasman sea where apart from the coastline of the national park there was no other land in sight. We then turned round and headed back towards the dock and in turning we were sheltered from the biting ocean wind so the return journey was much more pleasant. There were yet more beautiful views including a stop to see some sea lions taking a time out on the rocks. On our outward journey we had passed a beautiful big waterfall which we had been promised a closer look at on the inbound stretch and the captain certainly wasn't lying as he maneuvered the front of the boat right under the waterfall completely soaking us and everyone else stupid enough to stay on the outer deck! Eventually it was time to head back to the dock having seen what is undoubtedly one of New Zealand's natural wonders and it is clear why it is number 1 and I would definitely put it up there are one of our top sights since leaving home. By the time we got back to the campervan for lunch the fog was long behind us leaving a beautiful drive back through the national park to see some of the treasures that had been hidden from view on the way out. I always thought the national parks in Canada would be the most beautiful I would ever experience however I would now say the Fiordland National Park gives Canada a run for its money as it is absolutely stunning. It was hard to believe that we were driving on the same road as everywhere you looked there were towering snowcapped mountains with the road carved to run between them as if it had always been there. Literally every few minutes we had to pull over to take in the awesome views and plenty of photos. We stopped at almost every viewing point along the way and because we had taken the morning cruise we had left enough time to do a couple of scenic walks. The road that had taken us 90 minutes to drive on the way out to Milford took us 3 hours to drive home. All we kept thinking was thank goodness the fog cleared or we would have left never truly appreciating how stunning this part of the country was!
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