Day 21........Doubtful Sound.......

So, here we are again, another early start, a lot earlier actually (and I nearly missed the bus as my ticket said 7.30.......) and this was the one I had booked in advance from home and I was really looking forward to it.  And I was not disappointed for many reasons!

So thankfully the bus came back for me (thank you!) and I was greeted by our guide for the day, the lovely Chris.  So we headed out to pick up the group and head for Doubtful Sound.  Now they are not really Sounds, the are Fiords (or so I am informed) and if I am correct the reason is that Sounds are v-shaped under the water and Fiords are u-shaped and back filled with sea water, both caused by glaciers.  That is correct if I have been paying attention.....

Now this trip consisted of a bus, boat, bus and boat.  It was a much shorter trip to pick up the first boat and not that scenic as it was still dark but informative none the less.  So after getting of the first boat it was to the bus to get the second boat for the cruise around the Sound (fiord....are you with me still??)  This included a strange detour, a visit to the underground hydroelectric power station.  Not that interesting I hear you yawn, but in fact it really was!  Bloody amazing as the whole thing is 260m below the ground and carved out of solid stone that has been there millions of years (I think..)  It really was as sight to behold.

So that in the bag it was on the second bus to the second boat.  Now this was a scenic trip but one thing was evident, the rain forest was living up to it's name - and it was raining.  Still, we had been reliably informed on more that one occasion that this place was just as beautiful in the rain than in the sun, and having seen Milford in the sunshine yesterday, I was going to be putting this to the test.

Man alive, they were not wrong.  This place was incredible in the wet, the mist and cloud adding a sense of mystery and a completely other dimension to the whole landscape.  Sure, the wind was fierce and the rain stung your face, but being on top deck was the only place to be and 4 of us were brave enough.  And what rewards.  The waterfalls were abundant thanks to the rain and our guide had assured us of this and mentioned that there was a phenomenon whereby the wind would take the water falling from the waterfalls and woosh it straight back up before it hit the water, and that it would be a sight to see.  And we saw it.  He wasn't wrong either.  Incredible sight.  And sound.  And soaking.  But it sure put a smile on my face.  That coupled with the bounding enthusiasm all involved in this trip.

I'm going to let the pictures do the talking (if I can ever upload the bloody things) and as we sailed back into shore and said goodbye to Doubtful and its wet, misty wonderfulness, it was back on the bus and back on the next boat to sail into the amazingly sunny Te Anau.  Incredible.  To the front of the boat bright sunshine, to the back dark brooding skies.  A fond farewell was bid to the group and our guide (thanks again Chris if you are reading this, keep doing what you do so well, and your mum would be proud of the washing up.....)

There are too many things that I saw to mention, too many sounds and sights and sensations, but one thing to me is clear, man (and woman) can create incredible and unbelievable things but NOTHING we achieve compares to what Mother Nature can do.  These sights that are so difficult to describe to you and that no photograph can convey have had nothing to do with us.  They are just the Earth and the Elements doing what they do best.  And they do it better than any man (or woman) can. 

Now you may think I'm getting a bit deep here, and maybe I am, but a film may have the answer.  It is called ATA WHENUA - Shadowland.  It's only 32 minutes long and was shot over a few months mainly from a helicopter and shows the parts of this place that you just don't see.  There is no talking as it is set to fantastic music.  This film has been mentioned by so many people, and advertised all over this town (it is shown in a tiny little cinema in Te Anau) and the final nail in the coffin was the glowing endorsement of Chris and most of the people on the boat.  So, with that in mind I paid my $10 and sat down to watch.

Despite having a man with the loudest raincoat on behind me who needed to root through his pockets at every opportunity, and a couple up a bit further who couldn't even wait 32 minutes before discussing it (even I could do that...) it was a really moving piece of  film.  You have to see it to believe it.  I watched with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye.  As you all know I have no qualms about travelling alone, but sometimes there are times that you see and experience things that you just need to share with someone.  This was one of those times.

But hey ho, I am now sitting in an internet booth in town after stuffing myself silly with nommy spicy chicken noodles (and not from a pot!) realising that I am throwing myself out of a plane from 15000 feet in 2 days......Eeeeeeeek!!  (justgiving.com/lisa.maysey)
But before then I will be bidding farewell to the lovely town and people of Te Anau to spend 3 nights in Queenstown, psyching myself up for the jump and calming myself down after.  I have no plans and it is not too far from here, so who knows.......  If anyone has any ideas how I can fill my time in Queenstown let me know, but other than that I am hoping to just take it easy!

So until next time faithful followers just remember - life is a journey, not a destination.  Do what makes you happy, whatever that may be xx