The Queenstown Journey - Part 3

A NZ Traffic Jam

This is it. We are standing outside the apartment again. Exactly on time a taxi with a Canadian couple already on board pulls up. The driver warns us that she will not be taking us far. In fact, by the time that I have done up my seat belt we pull up at the Millenium hotel further down Francton Street. (No charge.) Here we stand and wait; trying to communicate with the Canadian couple. As we wait we see a tour bus pull up outside our apartments. A couple get on. The bus makes the 30 second drive to the Millenium Hotel. We get on. By now we are fearful that we may be on the wrong bus, but the driver turns out to be a happy Kiwi who quickly reassures us that at least he is capable of getting us to our destination.

You have to know that on our travels around NZ most of the signs are only in English. True, many of the words are Maori. But, in this place almost all tourist signs are in two languages and there is even an interpretter on the coach and on the boat. The language being Japanese. They are very welcome as they bring in the Japanese yen. And, they also provide entertainment for other foreign visitors. 1. They have a tendency to ignore notices (even in Japanese). 2. They fill their cameras with endless images of wonderful views. However, there is always an individual or a group in front. They also take endles combinations to ensure that everyone of their party is in at least once.

You now need to know something of the geography of the journey. Milford Sound is around 20 miles east of Queenstown. However, the journey is to take over 4 hours to include two rest stops and three viewpoints. This because the coach really cannot get over the mountains, but has to head due south for many miles, turn and go slightly fewer miles east and then turn north for the same number of miles that we went south. There are helicopter and small plane rides over the mountains which take ten minutes.

Te Anua

The driver talked knowledgeably, interestingly, humourously and almost incessantly for the whole journey there. For miles we followed the southern arm of Lake Wakatipu on our right and The Remarkables on our left, through small townships eventually arriving at the much larger town of Te Anua with a large population of 1785 (at the last count). The town is regularly swelled by the arrival of tourists and the coach stops at a central coach park to provide toilets, souveniers and refreshments. But only briefly. There is a further stop for toilets and the next are for sightseeing at Mirror Lake, The Chasm and the helicopter pad at the other end of the tunnel. Our journey was also interrupted by a typical NZ traffic jam - sheep being moved from one field to another. After this point the we ran into the inevitable rain. It rains 95% of the year on this rugged west coast. However, we were told that without this rain the falls would not be so spectacular. According to the driver, when it stops raining the falls stop, just as if God had turned the taps off. There is little or no headwater in this region. When the ground cannot take any more water (which is most of the time) the water simply plunges off the mountains into the valleys, creating the spectacular sights that we were witnessing.

The Cascades

Yes, there was tunnel. This had been cut roughly out of the rock and mostly unlit, giving the impression of driving through a cave. The tunnel is very short and also one lane. Fortunately the lights were against us going towards Milford; giving us an opportunity to enjoy the spectacular scenery at this spot. The driver assured that there was better to come. With eyes closed we exited the tunnel. When we opened them, he was so right. Words now begin to fail.

On Milford Sound

Onwards we went to the Sound itself. The small harbour looked like a large ferry terminal and sizeable boats were tied up. It was not long before we boarded 'The Pride of Milford', which was large powered catamaran. On entry we were photographed. I, naturally spoiled her photograph by photographing the photographer. We didn' buy the finished article. My face had a camera in front of it. Once on board we were shown to our table. Up the middle were tables arranged with black plastic boxes. This was the special meal for the Japanese guests. We enjoyed a large buffet meal (at extra cost) and spent my time on deck trying to do photographic justice. At times the falls were close up and personal. I am beginning to get used to being soaked, all in good fun and knowing that I would soon dry off. After a time on the boat we returned to the coach; to a quieter journey back, stopping only at Te Anua for the usual, followed by 'Madagascar' on the coach and finally back to our apartment; supper and a good night's sleep.