If you go anywhere on the South island of New Zealand, make sure you go to Milford Sound. I would even venture to recommend you plan a week stay there. There’s not much to do, plus the nearest town (Te Anau) is nearly two hours away.
So why stay in a remote area that requires hours of driving on windy roads?
Because it’s beautiful. And one day won’t do it. Ask any local and they will tell you that New Zealand weather is fickle and if you want that perfect, clear day shot, you’ll have to be patient.
Our day was not clear. But I didn’t mind. I liked the mist, it felt very Middle Earth.
We booked our tour with Southern Discoveries and they were great! Our tickets included lunch, plus we added an additional stop at an underwater observatory. (not an aquarium, which they emphasize)
There was a narrator who gave lots of history and talked about specific waterfalls, but given the thick (and wonderful) kiwi accent and the less-than-awesome acoustics, I couldn’t understand much, but the views were incredible.
I fell in love with the serene and peaceful sounds. I even talked to one of the employees who explained how she came to work in such a remote location.
They are 6-8 month long positions, as the isolation can be quite overwhelming for some. Plus, it’s a great way to save money, since you go into town (remember a 2 hour drive both ways) maybe twice a month.
It would definitely hinge on the work environment and coworkers, but it sounds like a lovely thing to do someday, to get some peace and quiet to write, while showing others just how beautiful this place is.
We kept pulling over on the drive back because the views kept getting better!
As we passed through Te Anau, we stopped to see the Waitomo glow worm caves . I’d love to have photos to show you from this truly astounding sight, but being that it was very dark, and quiet, no cameras were allowed. It felt otherworldly. Glow worms are brutal little monsters, look em up!
The forest surrounding the caves were ridiculously green! Go see it here.
Ok, I am officially closing the chapter on my New Zealand adventures. I could go on and on, but alas, I need to get started on my Hong Kong posts!