Mt. Cook, Milford Sound, Fiordland and More
Mood:  happy
Topic: Asia Trip
Well in just two days we will be departing beautiful New Zealand for our multiday trip back to the US. We'll save reflections and final comments for once we're back on our home soil. For now, we'll highlight some of the incredible places and activities we've been lucky to experience over the last ten days.

Working backwards...

Today we wrapped up our travels with perhaps the perfect ending -- a two day self-contained bike trip on the Otago Rail Trail. Over the past two days, we have been weaving our way back into the deep countryside, over mountains, between gorges and through tunnels following the old Otago railway line which has been converted into a 155km dirt bike path. Just us, our bikes, the sheep, the deer and the open, windswept landscape. No cars, no people, just the incredible vast, open, empty space that New Zealand is famous for.

The bike ride was the perfect medicine for Molly who was recovering from her jump off a bridge after her team, the Philadelphia Eagles, lost in the SuperBowl. She was of course attached to a bungy cord when she jumped...but nonetheless, she claims it was terrifying. Poor thing, she threw up three times after her jump. Maybe it was the six beers she had while watching the SuperBowl -- which we were lucky enough to do in the good company of a group of young Americans (hard core Eagles fans) who are living and working in Queenstown.

Queenstown is no doubt the center of all things adventure and the perfect way to spend hundreds of dollars in a matter of minutes. A perfect example was Molly's and my paragliding trip we took. Up the mountain we drove, to the point that Queenstown was just a blurred image in the distance and the grand Remarkables mountain range was at about eye level. We then got strapped to our guides and led the way as we literally ran off the side of the mountain only to be caught by our chute and lifted up with the air thermals to float over the mountains and valleys below. Wow, a totally exhilarating experience. Our interest in paragliding came about in Thailand where we watched a documentary on TV about a NZ paragliding team attempting to fly over Mt. Cook (~ 12,000 feet). It just so happens that Molly's tandem guide on her flight was part of that very documentary and was one of the stand-in flyers when one of the main pilots got injured.

Adrenaline activities aside, we made our way out to Milford Sound. We were blessed with absolutely perfect weather -- sunny and warm -- a rarity in Milford where over seven meters of rain fall each year. The perfect weather conditions created an interesting dynamic inside the sound where the hot air rose creating a vacuum for a cool breeze to blow into the Sound from the Tasman Sea causing seas so choppy that our huge tour boat was being tossed about in what was essentially a protected body of water. As soon as we crossed out of the Sound and into the open Tasman Sea, the water was as calm as a lake. The landscape of Milford is in one word, breathtaking. Everything seems so exaggerated, from the sheer steepness of the cliffs to the hight of the waterfalls and of course, the blue-green color of the water. Definitely a place worth going to. We picked the final cruise to go out into the sound at 4:30 PM which was perfect as we literally had the sound to ourselves -- no other boats out on the water -- perfect for photography. We then spent the night at the only place to sleep in the Sound area -- the Milford Lodge -- a small, no frills place which only has power during the day. Sleeping in Milford enabled us to experience other parts of the Fiordland National Park -- such as the lush rainforest in the Tutoko Valley. 99.9% of tourists who visit Milford pop-in for a 2-hour cruise and then head straight out since there really is nothing there but the boat launch and a restaurant. Staying the night at the lodge is well worth it.

After Milford, we headed to Te Anau which is the starting point for Fiordland National Park and many of the famous great walks. Molly and I did the first leg of the Kepler Track as a day hike. It is a simple, non-technical trail that follows the Waiau River through beech and manuka forest.

Last but certainly not least, was our stay at Mt. Cook. All I can say is wow. This is a must-see part of New Zealand. Yet again, we had perfect weather -- sunny and in the upper 80's. The greatest part of the Mt. Cook village is that you are nestled in at the foot of the huge mountains making them super accessible. From every vantage point, you can see huge snow capped mountains and icy blue glaciers. We walked down through the Hooker Valley along roaring, grey-silt filled glacial rivers to huge glacial lakes with big pieces of ice floating in them. There were even a few hikers brave enough to take the plunge into the icy waters. We, however, were not so brave. Just putting my feet into the water for ten seconds made the nerves and bones in my feet ache to the point of near nausea. For those of you not willing to stay at the no-frills YHA (Youth Hostel), there is the famous Hermitage Hotel where rooms start at close to $400 a night.

We have photos of all of these places, and yes, even a video of Molly's bungy jump which we'll load once we return home. We'll update the blog when everything has been posted to view.

Until then, Molly and I are going to get very well acquainted with 747s, airplane food, and time zones over the next few days.

Bye for now.

Marisa and Molly