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Send Me Home!
Send Me Home!
Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound, George Sound and Milford Sound. Each one is exquisite in its own way. The Milford Road follows glaciated mountain valleys to the sound. It's an astonishing alpine drive. It traverses Eglington and Hollyford valleys. Massive peaks tower above, then it burrows through the Homer Tunnel and finally there's the sight of mile-high Mitre Peak. From here you can cruise The Sound. There are cliffs, waterfalls, seals, dolphins and gulls.
Drive from Queenstown to Te Anau
Our day started with mostly clear skies and fine views of The Remarkables from Queenstown. The drive to Te Anau was much faster than we had expected because the road was the flattest and straightest we have come across in New Zealand. There were still plenty of hills and mountains around, but the road was mostly in a flat valley and we were driving through serious sheep country!
We arrived in Te Anau at 12:30 and were very impressed by the standard of the motel we had pre-booked. It is right on the lakeside with views across to the mountains of fiordland on the other side. The weather was still fine but we could see some clouds across the mountains. We were very conscious of the fact that fiordland is one of the wettest places on Earth, and reckoned that today was probably as good a day as any to see fiordland from the air. We discovered that there was a 6-seater float-plane which operates just 200 yards from our motel, so we phoned them to see if we could get a flight to Doubtful Sound. They actually fly with 3 passengers, and after a short wait they rustled up a third customer.
At 1:30pm we all boarded the plane and our pilot Marty cast off and was airborne a few seconds later. Flying in a float-plane was another first for both of us, and another very happy memory. The weather was not ideal and some of the higher peaks were in the clouds. Consequently, we had the most exciting flight through the peaks, rather than over them, and on occasions we seemed to miss the mountains by a few feet. There was some turbulence and in a few places it was quite severe, so the photos may not be very impressive, but we had some outstanding views of fiordland, and it was a great opportunity to see aspects of it that you could never see from the ground.
The valleys reminded Tom of his trip to Norway over twenty years ago, and there were several text book examples of glaciated features such as hanging and U-shaped valleys. The aspect that you could only see from the air was the large number of high altitude lakes, and many of these spilled over cliffs to produce the most magnificent waterfalls. The most famous falls in the area are the Sutherland Falls which descend an incredible 580 meters, but these are only accessible by air or by walking the Milford Track from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound.
Fiordland is heavily forested, so even on a cloudy day we were treated to a wide range of colours as we flew over the area. The water still managed to look a deep blue, the forests were dark green and very dense, the peaks of the mountains were covered in snow, and in between all of this swirled the clouds and our frail little aircraft. It's impossible to capture the feeling on film, let alone in words, but I'm sure the trip will remain in our memories for a long time.
A Day with the Sheep! We were both part of the flock and witness to some huge ones along our journey - including one which very temporarily impeded our progress on the Milford Road!
Today we had an earlier start than usual, being picked up from our motel by the Fiordland Travel coach at 7.35am! Our driver for the day was John and he not only provided us with some excellent commentary and plenty of facts on the region, but loads of laughs, as well. He has spent his life in Fiordland and worked as a sheep rancher until fairly recently, when he saw a future decline in the industry and sold out to a large dairy operation. His ranch has since been split into two dairy farms. John is now enjoying his semi-retirement by working up to 60 hours a week as one of the most informative and entertaining coach drivers we've ever encountered.
We travelled the Milford Sound road from Te Anau to the sound - a road which is only 50 years old, having been constructed by gangs of men during the Depression. They took the work in order to receive their 'dole' payments from government. From John's description, it sounded as though they toiled in appalling conditions with the most basic of equipment - mostly hand tools - to carve the road through sub-tropical rain forest and mountainous terrain. During the construction the men (and sometimes their families) were housed in either simple wood huts or canvas tents and in late spring to early summer lived in constant fear of avalanches.
The road bends and twists its way through sheep country and the alpine and rain forests of Fiordland National Park. As we drove deeper into the park, the weather became wetter and we were rewarded with views of spectacular waterfalls, which became even more impressive by the time we made our return trip.
One part of the journey made us very glad that someone else was doing the driving and that was the Homer Tunnel. It is a short (1,219 meters) unlined tunnel, rough hewn from rock, which slopes down to Milford Sound at a gradient of 1 in 10 (10%) and which claimed three lives during its construction.
We boarded the Milford Wanderer, a replica trading scow, for our 2-1/2 hour cruise and made our way down the south side of the sound. The Wanderer takes a more leisurely trip compared to the other craft and stops several times close to shore, allowing you close-up looks at spectacular waterfalls and seals resting on the rocky outcroppings.
Once we had made our way to the mouth of the sound and were on the edge of the Tasman Sea, they cut the engines and hoisted the Wanderer's sails. This was mainly for photographic effect, we believe, but it was also to give us an idea of the propulsion options of the craft and to allow us to really 'hear' the sounds of the sound.
From this viewpoint it was difficult to actually see the mouth of the sound, as the surrounding mountains reach straight into the water and create the optical illusion of a continuous coastline. The sound itself was discovered purely by accident because of this.
We made our return 'voyage' along the north side and were again treated to close-ups of waterfalls and seals. Although the weather was quite soggy, it really was the way to see the sound, as it only tends to show off in the wet. This makes the waterfalls more spectacular and gives a moodier, more dramatic feel to the area.
We made our way back to Te Anau, with plenty of humorous entertainment from John and a few more photo stops. It was almost a let down to have this adventure come to an end.
NOTE: John used a powerful spotlight to navigate the Homer Tunnel and to highlight the passing bays - all 2 of them! He referred to the light as a 'Possum Spotter' and we thought they might be used to stun the pests before running them over. John told us that, when he used to hunt possum he used a similar light to 'spot' the possum in the trees before shooting them.
Possum were introduced to New Zealand for their fur in the latter part of the last century, but rapidly reproduced and are now one of the most prevalent pests in the country (population in the 10s of millions) and are the subject of a legal irradication programme. They are also one of the most common road-kill sights and we feel we have seen hundreds on the roads, so far. An unfortunate side-effect is that some of the majestic birds of prey suffer the same fate while scavenging an easy meal.
Change of plan
When we originally booked our Air New Zealand tickets, we had not worked out our itinerary so we provisionally allowed just over 4 weeks for the trip. The tickets were open so the plan was that we would confirm our return date once we got here, but we have found out that flights are very heavily booked around the time we would like to return, so we may have to return a little earlier than we intended. We are on a waiting list for an alternate booking and are still trying to extend our return date.
Consequently, we are modifying our schedule to make the most of our time here. We are actually already slightly ahead of our original schedule, but now that we are here and have seen quite a bit of the country, we have a better idea which areas we want to spend more time in, and which areas we will pass through quite quickly.
We're not quite sure how we got ahead with our schedule coming down the west coast, but we think it's probably because we have been fairly lucky with the weather, and have been able to fit in activities like the glacier walk without any delay. Also, the roads are mostly very good, so we have been able to make good progress while still having enough time for lots of photo stops and generally enjoying the views.
After Te Anau, we had planned to stay in Invercargill for 2 nights which would give us access to the ferry to Stewart Island. We decided that if we skipped Stewart Island, we could pick up a couple of days, so today we drove from Te Anau to Dunedin via Invercargill. In the end, we were very pleased with our decision because we didn't think much of Invercargill, and the road to Bluff where the ferry operates from was full of heavy industry and was positively disgusting. The weather was also wet for much of the day and this did little to enhance the area.
When we reached the east coast at Balclutha, we made a brief diversion to the south to visit the lighthouse at Nugget Point and we ate our lunch at a clifftop car park. We then had a very pleasant walk out to the lighthouse which is perched at the top of a very steep outcrop. Below us the rocks were covered in seals, and we saw several baby seals playing in rock pools above the tide line, as well as feeding from their mothers on the rocks.
We also spotted some new birds including the Varied Oystercatcher, Spotted Shag and the Pied Stilt. We saw some very large seagull-like birds which we haven't identified yet, but we're into albatross country here and we are hoping to go to an albatross colony tomorrow. They also have penguins in this area, but we believe that they have probably gone south at this time of year. Hopefully we will be able to report on this further tomorrow.
Stay in Dunedin - Our 2nd Anniversary!
The weather was rather disappointing today with heavy rain for most of the morning and early afternoon. We spent the morning snooping around the city of Dunedin and talking to some of the locals. As usual, we found them extremely friendly and it's interesting to hear their views and opinions on what life is like here. Dunedin is interesting because of its Scottish 'ancestry' and it is celebrating its 150th anniversary this week. Unfortunately we won't be here on Saturday for the main celebrations when they are having a massive firework display in the harbour.
It is a very hilly city, and we had a good bit of exercise climbing up and down the streets, and somewhere on the other side of town is the world's steepest street! This afternoon we took a very windy drive out to the Otago Peninsula with the intention of going to see the albatross colony and to see some penguins. When we arrived at the visitor centre the weather was really foul with rain blowing sideways in almost gale force winds, so we were not too keen on spending $22 each to go and see the birds. We looked round the visitor centre, which had 3 stuffed albatrosses and were very impressed with their size, but we still thought $22 was too much to pay. So being good Scots, we opted to pay $7.50 each to go and see the Yellow Eyed Penguins and the seal colony.
The entrance fee gave us a key which unlocked a padlock on a gate, and we could then drive about 4km along an unsurfaced track to a cliff where we watched some penguins, and a few hundred yards away was the seal colony. The penguins were a bit distant, although fun to watch anyway, but we got within a few yards of the seals. On our return trip along the bumpy track we rounded a corner and the visitor centre came into view, and soaring above it on the strong wind was a truly huge bird which could only be one thing. We found a suitable place to stop the car, and then spent a while watching all four albatrosses which were currently at the colony as they soared majestically above the cliffs. We had heard from someone at the seal colony that there were only 4 birds there, and we got see all of them without paying $22. What a satisfying conclusion to our little outing! As we were watching them, we saw a party walking up to the lookout hut and one of the birds soared above them. It was amazing to see that the wingspan of the bird was more than the height of the people going to view it.
Since it's our anniversary, we are treating ourselves to a nice meal in the restaurant at the motel. It has a view right over the city and harbour, and is supposed to serve excellent food. So that's all for now, we'll try and publish this and then it's time to get smartened up!
From Dunedin to Twizel
What a difference a night can make to the weather. It has been sunny all day although there have been quite a few strange shaped clouds hurtling by in the very strong winds. It was a little disappointing that we had to leave Dunedin straight after breakfast so never really got to see it properly on a nice day, but we only have a limited time here and have to press on. However, we have seen enough of the town to decide that we both liked it, and hopefully we will come back one day.
We set off up the east coast through Palmerston and Oamaru. The countryside was still hilly, but was considerably more gentle than the wild west coast, and it gave the impression that life is much easier there. You wouldn't guess that from the tiny population though! At Palmerston we diverted briefly along a dirt track to Shag Point where there is supposed to be a Yellow Eyed Penguin colony which is free. When we arrived we were the only people there, and we did see one solitary penguin and also enjoyed the view of the coastline.
A few miles north of Oamaru we turned inland through Kurow, Omarama and on to Twizel. The first thing we noticed on this road was the lack of traffic. Almost all of the South Island roads are quiet, but we were often driving for 10 minutes without seeing another car and it was like this for a couple of hours! The road was mostly very flat with long straight stretches, but the hills on either side were gradually getting bigger as we headed back towards the Southern Alps.
The second thing we noticed was the strength of the wind which was buffeting the car around quite a bit, and judging by the high wind warning road signs, this was not uncommon. We have already seen how the weather 'comes to life' when it comes off the ocean and hits the mountains, and we imagine that there is a fairly turbulent air flow on the lee side of the hills. The clouds were really strange, we couldn't begin to describe them, but neither of us had ever seen such a variety of light wispy clouds, heavy storm clouds and completely strange looking clouds all mixed together.
We don't yet have all the facts, but this whole area seems to be part of a huge hydro-electric scheme. There are a number of lakes, both natural and man-made, which are linked for moving water around, and some have dams and power stations. If anyone showed either of us a photograph of one of these lakes with its incredibly blue and yet milky colour, we would say the photograph must have been taken using some kind of filter. Having stood beside a lake and seen the colour with our own eyes, we still find it hard to believe. We were told in Fiordland that the blue colour of the water is due to its purity and the glacial ice it comes from. We suppose the same is true here.
Twizel is a fun little town, not actually on a lake but only a short drive from lakes Ohau, Pukaki and Tekapo. We're staying at a motel where each unit/studio is in a standalone A-frame building, and we're self catering while we're here. The local supermarket is quite well stocked and once again we've found the locals to be extremely friendly and helpful. After we'd settled in and done some shopping, we drove up to Lake Pukaki for a quick look. We couldn't see Mount Cook which dominates the area because the mountains were well and truly buried in cloud, and we were frustrated once again in our attempts to get a photo of the majestic Australian Harrier which is both plentiful and evasive.
Wind blown in Twizel!
We rose early to check out the weather, but although we started off with blue skies, the strong winds were still blowing and it soon became obvious that Mount Cook was in thick cloud and that the weather was going to get worse as the day progressed. However, we were delighted when Kathryn phoned Air New Zealand and found out that we have been able to reschedule our return flight. We now have seats on the 10th April flight from Auckland so we won't have to rush the rest of our trip quite so much.
The first priority was to get our caffeine fix for the day at a local cafe, and then we wandered over to the Visitor Information to plan our activities for the day. We booked a 10:30 tour to see the Black Stilt, which is an endangered bird only found in this area. This bird used to be spread all over the country, but it has been almost wiped out by predators such as stoats and cats, and there are now only 150 pairs left. Here in Twizel they are doing everything they can to save them and have a captive breeding program, and the birds are released into the wild when they are 9 months old. The tour was interesting because only one other couple had joined us along with the guide, so it was very informal as well as very informative. We were also able to have a good long visit, as the other couple was as eager to take their time as we were.
The illusive Australasian Harrier was finally captured on film while we were in the Black Stilt hide and we even managed to get one more shot of it later while we were driving towards the village of Mount Cook.
Next we drove to Lake Ohau which has a small ski area serviced by one very large T-bar lift. We couldn't actually find the lift, but we feasted on our sandwiches while feasting our eyes on views of the lake and mountains. The view was interesting because on our left the weather was getting really foul, and on our right was glorious sunshine. At the same time, the wind was whipping up spray and some very large waves on the lake.
We then drove along Lake Pukaki to the village of Mount Cook, which is situated close to the bottom of the mountain. Driving was actually a bit dodgy because of the strong winds, and we heard later on the radio that they were peaking at over 100kph. As we got near to Mount Cook the weather turned really foul, with torrential rain, thunder and lightning so we had a look round the Visitor Centre, and then drove back to Twizel.
This wasn't one of our most exciting days, but we still enjoyed seeing the Black Stilts and had some nice views. We hope for some better weather tomorrow.
NOTE: One of the things we've found really unusual in New Zealand is that many people walk around in bare feet. It seems to be quite common, even in gravelled areas or in cool weather. Not for us, though! Although...Kathryn did flip off her sandals when she dipped her toes in the Pacific at Moeraki the other day!
Mount Cook and Close Encounters of the Bird Kind!
We awoke to a day full of promise, plenty of sunshine and blue sky and little to no wind. One of the first sounds we heard was a small airplane and then a couple of helicopters took off from Twizel. This was a great omen, as it meant we were finally going to have our flight to Mount Cook!
We didn't wait for the Tourist Information Centre to open so that they could do our booking, but just phoned ourselves, getting a seat on a 9:00am flight from Lake Tekapo. We had a beautiful view of the Southern Alps on our drive out in the sunshine and after a short wait we were introduced to our pilot, Greg, and ushered aboard a six-seater Cessna Stationair 8. We only had to share our flight with one other couple who were German.
Our flight is known as the 'Grand Traverse' of Mount Cook and the Glaciers. It is described in the brochure as 'the flight of a lifetime' and it certainly unfolded as that for us.
We flew out over Lake Tekapo and Lake Alexandrina, passing over a couple of sheep stations, one of which is now an exclusive hunting/fishing lodge, which will set guests back a paltry $600NZ per night!!
The flight followed the Godley River towards its glacier, passing Mt. Sibbald and Mt. D'Archaic before crossing the Main Divide. One of the first majestic peaks we flew near was Elie D'Beaumont, towering a mere 10,225 feet.
At this point in the flight our views from almost every angle were filled with mountains and glaciers. We passed over the Murchison and Tasman Glaciers (Tasman is 28 km long, by the way), before being treated to a completely different view of Franz Josef Glacier, where we did our heli-hike just over a week ago. It was REALLY impressive from the air.
Our pilot took the plane to about 9,500 feet during the highest point of our flight, but Mounts Tasman (11,475 ft) and Cook (12,349 ft), of course, still towered above us. It was humbling and awesome to see them this way and we both spent a lot of time going, 'Wow, Wow, Wow!'
The flight path followed along the Tasman Sea side of the two largest peaks before again traversing the Main Divide. The weather was so clear that we had a view as far south as Mount Aspiring, which lies north-west of Lake Wanaka - several hours drive south of where we were! Once on the east side of the mountains we made a slow sweeping 360 degree turn, filling our eyes with the most incredible views of Cook and Tasman.
Between the two of us we managed to take nearly 50 photos on the flight. There will probably be many which aren't spectacular, but we feel there should be one or two which will hopefully capture what we saw and felt.
What was particularly interesting was that the area below the mountains is actually glacial steppe. It looks both from the air and from the ground to be very barren and uninhabitable. However, the land is good for raising the Merino sheep, which are prized for their wool here. Some of the sheep stations hold as many as 10,000 sheep on an average of 23,000 hectares.
Upon completion of our fantastic 55 minute flight, we each received a 'bravery certificate', which will be added to a growing collection of momentos. We were really glad we were able to do the flight when we did, because it clouded over slightly as we returned. We weren't alone in taking a flight today, because we saw a fairly steady stream of small planes and a few helicopters throughout the day. Also, Greg apologised for not talking to us very much during the flight, but he explained that he was busy listening to the radio and watching out for the other aircraft in the area.
After our flight we drove into Tekapo townsite for yet another caffeine fix. We also picked up a map of the hiking trails around the town and settled on one to the Domain of Mt. John lookout, which was supposed to have a view of Mount Cook.
The path was virtually straight uphill all the way to the Astronomical Observatory, so we both had a great workout on the hike up. It really didn't offer the best view of Mount Cook, but did get great views of Lake Tekapo and the glacial steppes.
The most exciting thing happened on our hike back down - almost overshadowing our flight of earlier in the day. A fantail (smallish bird) flew right between us! It first landed on a low branch just inches away from Kathryn's left hand, then flew straight at her as if to land on her front, right shoulder or head, but stopping briefly on another branch just inches away from her head on the right. It then flew straight at Tom, as though it might land on his right shoulder or backpack, settling on another branch just a few inches behind him on the right before flying off.
We were both stunned and could hardly believe that this adorable and charming little bird would come so close to us. It was amazing! We didn't get any photos, because it happened very quickly and we simply froze on the spot and just enjoyed this 'close encounter of the bird kind'!
Once back down from the trail we drove back into Tekapo and enjoyed salads outside in the sun at a restaurant on the edge of the lake. We spent quite a long while there just enjoying the incredible view before driving back to Twizel. What a GREAT day!!
Twizel to Wanaka
We had originally intended to stay in Wanaka on our way down the west coast, but learned that all accommodation was booked, so we drove through the town on our way to Queenstown. Since we now have a few more days in hand, we decided to return to Wanaka so we can have a good look around and enjoy the lake and mountain views.
The weather was fine but cloudy all day so we were very glad that we had managed our flight to Mt Cook yesterday. It is not a long drive from Twizel to Wanaka via the Lindis Pass, so we made a slight detour enroute to circle round Lake Dunstan and through Cromwell where we stopped for coffee. We arrived in Wanaka before lunch and checked into our motel. It has a 'well used' look to it, but the rooms are bright and we have a great view over the lake to the snow-capped mountains beyond, including Mt. Aspiring.
We had discussed going out on the lake on some kind of boat trip, but we found it quite windy here and the lake was definitely a bit rough. So, after popping in to the Visitor Centre and grabbing a bite to eat, we went for an interesting drive up a dirt road towards Mt Aspiring which at 3027m is the highest peak around here.
Along the way we diverted up another dirt road to take a look at Motatapu River Gorge. This was fun because we really were away from it all. We did see two other vehicles, but it was mostly just us, the sheep and the Australasian Harriers which we have seen dozens of today. We learned recently that the Harrier population is quite high here this year and we have certainly seen proof of that during this holiday.
When we got to the gorge, there was a small bridge and on the other side a Private sign, so although the scenery was very pleasant, we were a bit disappointed. Then we walked onto the bridge and looked down at the water thundering through the strange hollows and shapes it had carved into the rocks far below us. Just when you least expect it, another amazing sight! We walked a short distance up the bank and caught some more glimpses of the gorge, but it was not something you wanted to get too close to without guard rails.
We then retraced our steps back to the main dirt road and continued on the Mt Aspiring Road. When we reached Glendhu Bay we saw our first glimpses of autumn colouring. The trees were reflected in the lake which was much calmer in the bay, but we didn't quite see the perfect mirror reflections you can get on so many of New Zealand's lakes. A little further on we came to the Treble Cone Ski Area. This is accessed by a very dodgy looking road which zigzags up the mountainside, and we could only see one lift from the valley, but there may be more. We get the impression that the ski areas are quite small here by European standards.
So today has been fairly uneventful compared to some of our adventures, but very enjoyable anyway. Weather permitting, we may have a more exciting report for you tomorrow!
NOTE: Today's interesting trivia comes from the South Island travel guide and is a quote from Capt. James Cook with respect to the sandflies which have plagued both of us. The ubiquitous and ever-troublesome sandfly is no new intruder to the region. On 11 May 1773 Captain James Cook, at Dusky Sound wrote: "The most mischievous animal here is the small black sandfly which are exceeding numerous and are so troublesome that they exceed everything of the kind I ever met with, wherever they light they cause a swelling and such an intolerable itching that it is not possible to refrain from scratching and at last ends in ulcers like the small Pox. The almost continual rain may be reckoned a nother ilconveniency attending this Bay."
Cook wrote in pre-repellent days, but the modern visitor should go well prepared with insect repellent (and raincoat). And we do!
In addition to the great food we've been encountering at almost every restaurant, we have also noticed that quite a high number are B.Y.O. or bring your own bottle (wine only, we think) establishments. We figure that, although there is a small corkage charge, it is a great way to ensure you have what you really want with your meal and, of course, plenty of New Zealand wines are likely consumed this way!
A - Mazing Day!
Before we get into today, we'd just like to mention something about our stroll back to our room from the restaurant last night. When we started walking up the street, we looked up and were swept away by the amount of stars we could see. The entire sky was full of them and Kathryn believes this was the first time she had ever seen the Milky Way!. It was very clear and the kind of night where you wished your astronomical knowledge was better.
Now to today...The weather co-operated again, just when we hoped it would and we've had another action packed day. There were a few clouds around for most of the day but these have mainly been over the mountains, and the rest of the sky has been blue. Kathryn phoned up Pioneer Rafting as soon as she got up and booked us in for a 9:30am trip on the Clutha river. This gave us time to stroll over to one of the cafes for breakfast before being picked up at the lakeside Visitor Centre by our guide, Louis.
Eco rafting is a river rafting adventure where emphasis is placed on scenic and environmental pleasure. The half day expedition we were booked on is 25kms long, took about 3 1/2 hours and included the grand old 'Pioneer Rapid' and the amazing 'Devil's Nook'. These are between Grade 2 and 3 rapids (6 is the highest, which is not legal to raft in NZ) and they provided us with a great introduction to white water rafting without being in any way frightening. Fortunately, we were the only people on this excursion with the guide, giving the whole experience a really intimate feel.
For the first half of the outing, we were basically ferried down a milder stretch of the river, stopping from time to time to discuss the rock formations, history and bird life. Usually, the guide will try to pull up and call in some birds for us to see, but it was fairly windy today and he told us that the birds can't hear the calls as well, so we just carried on.
Louis did tell us a really interesting bit of history about what is believed to be the largest eagle in the pre-historic world. It lived in New Zealand and hunted the moa, which resembles a VERY large ostrich or emu-like bird. The moa was flightless and grew to 3 metres, while the eagle (sorry we can't remember the Maori name for it at the moment) stood about 1 metre tall and had a 3 metre wingspan! In addition to moa, it was also thought to have been able to carry off sheep, children and small, young adults. No wonder the Maori lived in fear of it!
At the mid-point, we got out on the shore and picked some leaves from a Tea Tree to make a 'Billy-Tea' - billy being the saucepan in which the tea is brewed. The Tea Tree (whose Maori name is Manuka) is noted for the homeopathic uses of its oil and leaves (as an antiseptic or astringent) and Manuka honey is known to be an extremely effective homeopathic cure for stomach ulcers!
Louis demonstrated the proper method of infusing the tea by swinging it exactly seven times in a complete vertical circle at arms length. We had biscuits with the tea, which was really very good and probably tasted even better because we picked it ourselves!
We hopped back in the raft and secured everything for the more 'interesting' part of the trip. We also picked up paddles to assist with steering the raft through the rapids. Louis was sitting up on a raised seat in the center of the raft and was using two oars to steer us, and for the first part of the trip, he did all the work. His detailed knowledge of the river was impressive and he knew exactly where to position the raft so that the river would do most of the hard work for him. He also demonstrated some of the ferocious undertows and whirlpools, and actually got the raft to drift upstream for about 50m at one point. Until we reached the final set of rapids, we were basically just using a forward stroke, but we also got to steer the raft away from a bit of a rock face with some vigorous back paddling.
Tom managed to stay fairly dry but Kathryn was pretty much soaked on her left side. She didn't really mind because the water was a lot warmer than we had expected.
It was a really informative and fun half day out. We even had a peak at Louis' cottage from the river. He has quite the view of it from where he lives! It was fortunate for us to have been able to do the trip, as the weather again changed and our guide told us he felt the morning was really the best part of the day for doing the run.
After returning to Wanaka and changing into something a bit drier (in Kathryn's case), we had a delicious lunch outside and then drove out to an area where we could get some pictures of a section of the river we had rafted.
On our way back, we stopped at a silly sounding place called 'Puzzling World', to test our maze-busting skills, as well as trying out a few mind-bending puzzles, then checking out some amazing holograms and rooms built at a 15 degree angle. The maze was a real test and it took us about an hour to make our way through it all.
We had booked in to a restaurant for supper and did get ourselves there, but Kathryn was too exhausted to finish her meal. It's funny what effect all this fun in the sun can have on a person.
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Send Me Home!