Today we travel by motor coach (with our new driver/guide, Denis) to Fjordland National Park, which at 1.25 million acres is by far New Zealand's largest Park.
Along the drive to the Park, we travel thru an ancient ice region, crossings pasturelands on our way to the Park.
We stop in Te Anau for a short break (toilets, coffee, snacks, etc.). We are again reminded of the high cost of living in New Zealand with the prices here.
Here is something we've never seen in the States....Mountain Dew Passion Fruit...
...and when I see this sign above the toilet in the women's restroom, I know there must be folks here from all over the world, and I don't even want to know how they utilize the facilities in their home country.
Up until now, BooBoo has been behaving and has kept a really low profile (maybe suffering from prolonged jet-lag) however today she seems to have come to life!
First, I notice she is looking at the map as we go along...
...then BooBoo notices a possible "playmate" sitting up on the dashboard of our motor coach. It is a Kiwi bird named "Stuffed"! "Stuffed" belongs to Denis, our driver/guide, who seems so gruff, telling us not to ask any questions (until day 3 on our way to the airport) and instead Denis gives us his dry, scripted narrative of what he wants us to hear/know.
BooBoo jumps off the motor coach at the next point of interest....
...and oh WOW! What a view!
Back on the motor coach, what's next????
Mirror Lakes! Beautiful!
Wheeeeeeee!
Holiday Vacations!! What a great way to travel!!!
Such awesome majestic scenery and we haven't even arrived in Milford Sound yet!
Wow! Snow-pack is still on the mountaintops and it is Autumn here, with Winter just around the corner again, which will bring even more snow!
Oh boy, a walk to the Chasm!
Many years of constantly rushing water pouring down the mountainside has carved a deep path through the boulders...
The scenery in Fjordland National Park reminds me of Alaska. BooBoo is loving the cool, wet, mossy wonderland!
We arrive at the Visitor Center, and board a boat...
that will take us on a two-hour cruise up through Milford Sound, past Mitre Peak, which rises 5,560 feet. We will view Bowen Fall, cascading more than 500 feet and striking Stirling Falls. The falls flow from valleys formed by receding glaciers.
I hope these photos convey the awesome majestic scenery that we enjoyed on our cruise through Milford Sound.....
This is Vicki & Bruce, newlyweds from Michigan. They got married a few days before we left on this tour, so we are all celebrating their honeymoon!
We saw this cool boat in Milford Sound.....
...and we watched some playful sea lions...
...BooBoo is having the time of her life!
We have reached the Tasman Sea where the waters from Milford Sound flow into the sea, and where we turn around and head back.
My friend Jeanne seems to be having the time of her life also!
What an awesome day this has been!
Tomorrow we will visit the Kiwi & Birdlife Park in Queenstown.
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