Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Fiordland.

Perhaps the most renowned stretch of country in NZ in Fiordland and the west coast of South Island. The ultimate Great Walk, the Milford Track of amazonian rainfall levels and sandflies scarier than Cheney on a hunting trip beckons, and if four days of walking isn't your thing then the cruises on Milford and Doubtful Sounds should provide ample fodder for your vacation photo gladiatorial fests back home. With good reason. This place is gorgeous. Just flat out gorgeous.

Due to my tendency to wander down every dirt road I see I actually did not spend a great deal of time in Milford this trip, but the journey there was well worth it. I have found a road which they strongly recommend no one in possession of their wits take, so we are already planning an expedition. Plus I see a trip down the Hollyford track in the near future, perhaps following a wintertime walk along the Abel Tasman. But for now, this will have to tide us all over.


Dawn in Bluff. Not much here but the south end of the island. Methinks it is enough.


McCracken's rest along the South Shore.


Lake Hauoroko. Had lunch here and in two hours did not see another human. Did meet sandflies. I will never bitch about Alaska mozzies again.





A Tekahe in a wildlife center in Te Anau. Something like 200 of these beautiful critters left, but the Kiwis have set aside a huge range for their benefit. Yet we can't set aside a few islands to help save 20,000 Polar Bears. Dear God.



Lake Te Anau.


The entrance to the Milford Sound area.



This place is so beautiful that miniature heavens like this don't even rate a parking spot.





A Kea. Alpine parrot (yes, alpine parrot) and likely the smartest birds in the world, at least in human terms. This guy walked right over to me and wanted an almond. I had yet to see all the signs telling me what a faux pas it is to feed one of these guys, so I gave him one.



One almond and he wants to come home with me. Reminds me of the Castle Street crowd.



The falls a few hundred meters from the end of the Hollyford road. Highest road accessible falls in the Pacific. Apparently even more spectacular during the normal daily deluge in this region.





No filters here, the water is actually this crayola-esque color.









This is why I want to do the Hollyford more than the Milford. I have seen mountains, grew up in the Rockies and have bummed around most of Alaska and the Canadian north. But jungle? Temperate jungle with no poisonous beasties? That, that I can spend some time in.



I walked around this foothill and for the first time in my life was mugged by the weather. I swear, the damn storm was literally hiding around the corner waiting. I strolled around in my shorts and sunglasses and it hit me like a shotgun wedding. I love the weather in Alaska because it taught me that nature really doesn't care if I live or die, that I am not the center of the universe. But after having an entire cold front lay in wait for me I might have to rethink my position. Perhaps, like everything else south of the equator, it has something to do with the Coriolis effect.
So come to South Island at least once. See this glorious little bit of the universe. Spend some money. You'd just waste it on crap you don't need otherwise, and the Kiwis are, almost certainly, better people than that sleazy plasma screen salesman down at Best Buy. They actually invest it in things like parks, wildlife conservation, and financing toga riots. If you spend it in the States you know that eventually Kissinger gets his cut. Henry K. is old school that way. So dodge that moral peril and come hang. We will enjoy ourselves. Just don't bring any nukes, they are still a bit touchy about that.


















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