Travel Story «Cannon Ball Run to Milford Sound»

New Zealand | 0 Comments 27 December 2006 - Last Update 09 February 2007

So the 27th of December saw us get up a little tired from Stephens night festivies which had to be the quietest stepens night i ever had but was still hungover. Emily, Aisling and Benny headed out to pick up rental car so we left Christchurch and our little christmas aptartments at 11am. Now we knew the drive was going to be a long on as we were going down a three quaters of the country and over to the other coast.(Hence the cannon run title as it was a hell of a journey) So we meet up after two hours driving in Timaru to plan what route to take from there and eat. So from there it was a matter of getting there as safley and quick as possible. Now it was easier for our car as we had three drivers Aisling, Grainne and i where as it was just Emily and Benny in the other car. So we did arrive first in Te Anau where emily and benny where staying for the night, us ladies were staying in Milford in the only accomidation there. Now we realised on our journey we were going to arrive a bit late so rang our accomidation a headed and said we were going to be a bit late with which grainne gfot the response if you are not here my 10.30 you won´t be able to cheak in as the generator is turned off at 11!!!!!!! We were all a little puzzled by this but were like feck it we will make it (fingers crossed). So we picked up Karen from Emily and Benny was like taking the kid for the weekend or something anyway got subway and went for Milford. Now Miss Crowley was driving which ended up being a bit of an annoyance for her as we were driving around 9pm when it is dusky in New Zealand and there was fab scerny all around us which us other three kept commenting on but she couldn´t look at sorry Gra. Aisling awoke from a snooze in the back seat to comment "God those clouds are very vçblack aren´t they?" to which Grainne replied "there mountains Aisling!!!!". But in Aislings defence she had been asleep and we where very high up with clouds all around us! Tthe drive was pretty spectacular i have to say we were like look here and over here at these amazing fields of Lupins, Waterfalls and the dramatic landscape. Then it went black! We entered into the dodgyest tunnel ever i would say it was last surface in the 60´s there was bearly enough room for two cars and we later were told that during the day it is operated by traffic lights but not at night. Now when i say it was black it was there was no light at the end of the tunnel, the car was full of nearvous laughter as we hit pot holes and say rumble on the road. I am glad to say that we did find the light though at the end and also a killer of a hairpin bend at which they recommend you take at 15kmph! (Scary all i can say is thank god gra was driving and has some experience in the back of rally cars with her father taking notes on bends) But along with the hair pin bends came even more fab landscape. Ok i really can´t rave about this enough really Milford has got to be one of the most beautiful places i have been so if you don´t want to hear me gushing might want to skip over a few bits of this story! 
Well we arrived thank god at about quater to ten and went into the hostel to be told come back in five as she was cashing up. She being a very rude American! So we hung around and were eventually allowed check in through a series of huff and puffing by the rude american receptionist. So we headed for our room to find we were sharing wih a Aussie family who were going through all the places that the parents had visited they considered the norht and south island two different countries!!!! Well we slept like babies i can tell you well we had no other choice as the lights went out at 11. Next morning we were up early but not as early as emily and benny which benny reminded us of, who had to drive from Te Anau. So after a family breakfast we booked cruise around the sound or fijord as some may know it as. The boat was lovely and comfortable as it was raining otside we spent most of it inside. The scerny once again was amazing (Gushing warning) Water falls on very side thanks to the rain as there is less tan ten peremant falls and the rest only appear when it rains so techially we were lucy with the weather then!!! All around were sheer rock faces with trees clinging on. As we were going along we encounterd a pod of  Hector Dolphins which are the smallest breed of dolphins in the world and only found in New Zealand which were pretty cool to see i have to say but our photographic evidence is not the best as they are not the best a posing so we got alot of just water.
On the way back we could stop off at the underwater observatry so Karen, Benny , Grainne and I decided to take up this offer. Welll i have to say this has got to be the biggest waste of  money ever we all wwnt down spiral staircase into a tiny little room with about ten windows into murky green water where they have shelves off the edgewith certain underwater flora on them. Now we had been snorkling in crystal blue waters people this was dissapointing. Now when booking i was a little under certain as to go or not but the receptionist was like the balck coral down there is amazing and one of the only places you can see it so she sold me. THe black coral was white yes white so why call it bloody black coral?????!!!!!!! Well it is black arrocding to the cheesy american guide downstairs but these bugs live on it and they are white covering it totally making it appear white. So we were all very disappointed and hopped back on the first boat back. Where we meet up with Emily and Aisling and of course lied and said it was amzing which they believed! 
So after a little bit of fodder we hit the road back to Te Anau where we were stayng for the next few days now this journey took us about hour and half on the way back and it took us a little longer on the way back as we stopped for photo opportunites maybe double the time. We stopped at the Chasm, feilds of Lupins, the mirror lakes among other picture opportuntçities really i was so scenic hard not to and even at that there was loads that we it not stop at had to be a little harsh at times. So once back in Te Anau we checked into our accomidation which wasa large room attached to main building in a campsit. It had glass windows on two walls so was a little like a glass house. We went out for dinner and a few drinks. Then home to what we thought would be a goods night sleep but no as our room was backing on to the ladies toilets and the tv room. Now we drifted off to an extent but the tv was really loud adn Karen havin ghad enough got up and hammered on the wall now i thought it was a little late for tv in a family holiday park so got out of bed and headed into the tv room i know i would have scared the crap out of anyone in there but surprise bloody surprise there was no one in there the idiot who was last to bed never turned the bloody thing off! So we then went back to bed and actually slept for a bit.
The next day Emily nad Karen headed off for the Glow worm caves in Te Anau since the rest of us had aready been we gave it a miss. But the Lewis's got a boat into the caves as there was no tubing for Karen and got to drift along under the worms. The rest of us slept for a bit longer went on the internet to upload the numerous photos from Milford Sound. Just remebered that  in internet cafe gra was using a computer with usb connection and guy came over and literally sat on her shoulder as he wanted to use that PC god he was annoying i actually said really loud "Aren´t some people just so rude!" God i am turning into my mother! Anyway that afternoon while Karena dn Aisling realxed watching Prison Break Series1 and napping. Emily, Benny Grainne and I headed for a little game of Mini Golf. Now  have to say it was a lot of fun and i realised a few things i am actually not as cometive as i thought but maybe thats due to the fact that i come last in everyhting (seriously lost gin rummy last night minus 175!) and i realised i suck at mini golf but it was good craic. We then went to really nice pub emily had seen the night before it has got to be the nicest pub i have been in on travels so far it was a bit like Egans in Moate really nice. That night we headed for a steak dinner, it was a place where you picked your piece of raw meat they cook it how you want it and an all you can eat buffet so we were rather full after it and the Kumara fries that we introduced to Karen one of gods greatest creations. We headed back to the pub which i can't remeber the name of now for the life of me for a few drinks and then home to our beds and a better nights sleep than the previous i have to say. 
The next day say us on the road again heading to Wanaka for New Years

 

 

 

 

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