20 July 2006
This is it... our next home?
Our first entry from NZ. This is just awesome! It has been a series of "wows" and "clicks" ever since we hit the tarmac; from Queenstown airport where we first arrived to Te Anau where we are now. We have been covering the scenic Southlands and Fjordlands by road... the only way to do it.Queenstown, despite its ski-holiday town hub-bub was a pleasant start with its cafes, pubs and fairly busy streets. Kicked off with a Guiness at the local Irish pub, a ritual that will probably continue till we explore the world all the way to Dublin... someday. Next we explored the quaint neighbouring Arrowtown, and then set off southwards to Te Anau.
In Te Anau, we made full use of the evening, exploring the glow worm caves (Anna, Fred, we finally did it!) well into in the night in an underground limestone cave awash with a mountain stream that carved it in the first place many (thousand) moons ago.
Next day (today) an early start, waking up to stunning views of the alpine skyline as we pour warm water over the frosted windshield, we headed off to Milford Sound via one of the most picturesque routes we have ever been on. Plenty of snaps, stops to admire the views and staring at the temperature panel disbelievingly as the mercury hit -2 C before noon.
Highlight of the day of course was the cruise in Milford Sound amidst towering fjords and gushing waterfalls on a picture perfect afternoon. Internet in these remote motels do not permit uploads of pics so will have to leave it till we reach some major town. For now we continue our road trip across the Southlands to Dunedin, the Edinburgh of the southern hemisphere.
Could this be home? Will tell you after our next Guinness ;-)
# posted by Karthik & Isabel @ Thursday, July 20, 2006 
