Travels in Fiordland
Within seconds of our helicopter taking off, I have forgotten about Fiordland's giant sandflies. Instead my mind is busy taking in the views of Milford Sound below. Looking down on Mitre Peak and Bowen Falls, I don't feel as small and insignificant as when we were on the water moments earlier.
Suddenly we are metres away from the side of a rocky mountain, then sharply climbing to the snow-dusted ridge and holding our breaths for what happens next. As we get to the top, the helicopter plunges nose-first to the valley floor below. The other passengers are glad to know that our pilot, Jeff Shanks, has been flying in Milford for nearly 20 years, but I just yell for more.
Flying over Pembroke Glacier, I'm amazed by the vivid blue of the ice. Visiting New Zealand in May, we are lucky to see the glacier as during the winter months, most of the glaciers are covered in snow. It also allowed us to enjoy the full splendour of Milford Sound by boat without the summer crowds. During our Red Boat cruise, we only passed two other boats and a handful of kayakers.
Southern Scenic Route
It seems much longer than two days ago that we flew into Invercargill, New Zealand's southernmost city. After stopping at the Barnes Oysters factory shop to buy a dozen fresh and juicy Bluff oysters, we began our journey towards Te Anau on the Southern Scenic Route.
Our driver, Craig Barnes of Scenic Shuttles, happens to have a bag of fresh lemons to accompany our oysters. One after another, I devour the entire dozen, savouring the smooth texture and the salty taste of the sea in each one.
The Southern Scenic Route takes us past Colac Bay on our left, an untamed surf beach renowned for its southerly swells. On our right the southerly winds haven't been so kind to the trees. They lean on an angle away from the road with their branches and leaves growing in the same direction like an old woman with a crooked spine having a really bad hair day.
We carry on through Tuatapere, the sausage capital of New Zealand and the starting point for the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track, a three day walk which traverses through coastal, bush and sub-alpine terrain in Fiordland National Park.
Luxury B&B
Our home for the next two nights, Te Anau Lodge, was originally built as a convent in 1936 in the nearby town of Nightcaps. The building was moved in to a two hectare section in Te Anau overlooking the lake in 2003. The building has been transformed into a luxury bed and breakfast but still retains many of its original features.
After dropping off my bags in my room and eyeing up the spa bath in my bathroom, I'm drawn to the roaring fire in the library. I sink into the leather couch and indulge in a guilt-free sized piece of carrot cake while gazing out towards Lake Te Anau and the mountains of Fiordland National Park.
The next morning I awake to the smell of baking bread and muffins. Breakfast is served in the chapel with its original stained glass windows. Our breakfast choices are endless, but the highlight without a doubt are our host Nikola's chocolate and banana muffins, which even the diet-conscious in our group can't resist.
Doubtful Sound
We then head to Manapouri, the gateway to Doubtful Sound. The day is still and cloudless and there's not a ripple on Lake Manapouri. Access to Doubtful Sound is in three parts. After crossing Lake Manapouri by boat, visitors take a coach over the Wilmot Pass before boarding a catamaran at Deep Cove.
The three-hour cruise explores the best of Doubtful Sound's many nooks and crannies. Doubtful is the second largest of Fiordland National Park's 14 fiords, it is three time longer and 10 times larger than its more famous neighbour Milford Sound.
Doubtful is also known for its wildlife and our boat has a visit from a showy pod of dolphins. The engine shuts down and we watch them play in silence.
As we cruise up the arms of Doubtful Sound, the surface of the water mirrors everything we see around us. At the water's edge, it's hard to make out where the mountains stop and the water starts. The reflection of the lush native bush tricks the mind into thinking you can just carry on walking down below the water's surface.
On our way back to Deep Cove we spot two Fiordland crested penguins, the cool kids of the Sound with their punked up yellow eyebrows.
Lord of the Rings
That evening we indulge at Redcliff Café, the small but cosy restaurant brimming with locals who had turned up for Poetry Night. The café was a popular haunt for cast members of The Lord of the Rings while filming in the region, and is also renowned as a live entertainment venue.
To end the day, we sink into giant plush seats at Fiordland Cinema to watch Ata Whenua - Shadowland. The half hour film, made by local helicopter pilot Kim Hollows over two years, takes viewers on a journey through the majesty and extremes of Fiordland. The boutique cinema was purpose-built in October 2004 to show the movie.
The film sums up Fiordland: dramatic, evocative, humbling and best viewed in the quieter seasons of spring and autumn.
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