Over breakfast this morning we
heard about the mishap mum had in the spa last night! So…before the water went
in the spa, mum hopped in fully clothed to make sure she could manage to get out again without any drama. That proved to be a happening thing so she followed the
instructions given and added some water and the Manuka Oil, Harakeke Oil &
Rose Petal Mineral Bath Salts then ramped up the spa jets…problem was that she
hadn’t covered all of the jets and water sprayed the walls and as far up into
air as the ceiling! At this point dad decided the spa was not for him...he
wanted to remain fully clothed on standby in case there were any further
mishaps. Mum then read the instructions again, fully covered the jets and
really enjoyed her time in the spa. She’ll definitely be having another spa
tonight but I’m not so sure about dad.
I
forgot to mention that our ‘Love Is In The Air’ package included breakfast and
so the boys quite relished tucking into bacon and eggs
this morning.
We set off along the 121 km
road from Te Anau to Milford Sound. It’s earned World Heritage Highway status
for its beauty and scenic variety. This includes lush lakeside forest, rugged
mountains and cascading alpine rivers.
The amazing scenery began in
the Eglinton Valley with snow-capped mountains looming 1000 metres above the
road, streaked with waterfalls. The road climbs steeply into a sub-alpine
wonderland at the Homer Tunnel entrance. You emerge from the tunnel to an
instantly breathtaking view of the canyon which descends into Milford. Milford
Sound comes a close second to the mountains of Tahiti in recording the highest
rainfall in the world. The deluge of 7 metres of rain each year sounds
forbidding for a tourist resort, but it actually adds to the drama and mystique
of the sound. With rain the sheer mountain walls erupt with a thousand cascades
plunging from hanging valleys, wreathed in ethereal mists.
A boat cruise is the best way
to appreciate the grandeur of the sound and we pre-booked a 2 hour trip on one
of the smaller boats that advertised being able to get up close and personal
with the fiords and the wild life. It’s about 20metres long, very maneuverable
and carries 75 passengers. We were delighted to find only 15 passengers on
board.
The highlights of the cruise include
Bowen Falls, Mitre Peak, Anita Bay.
Close up and personal
encounters with dolphins, fur seals and one of the waterfalls along the way where
the captain put the nose of the boat
under the deluge were highlights.
under the deluge were highlights.
Our return journey…
Nineteen km east of Milford is
the 1,200m long Homer Tunnel,
started in 1935 but not completed until 1954.
Waiting for our turn to enter
the Homer Tunnel…
it’s one way traffic and
controlled by traffic lights!
We stopped at the Mirror Lakes
where a short five minute walk
from the road brought us to this…
Today I’ll leave you with this
photo taken on the shores of Lake Te Anau…
I'm hoping it will make you smile.
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