Fiordland the Home of Milford Sounds
Milford Sounds Highway
Once in Te Anau, you are just 120km away from Milford Sounds. You would think, easy peasy 90mn drive and I am there. Boy how wrong you are! The Milford Sounds Highway winds its way from Te Anau taking you through an ever tightening valley as you draw close to what was the glacier in times gone by.
At the end of the valley, once you have past the Divide, the point where water starts flowing north, you reach Home Tunnel. Entrance is controlled by traffic lights most of the time, but you it can also be free flow, considering it is about one lane and a half wide, it can be a challenge if you meet someone coming the other way. There are two passing bays in the tunnel to help though.
As you are waiting for the lights to change, you will be greeted by a Kea, the world’s only alpine parrot. Friendly, certainly not afraid of humans, they will entertain you, sometimes even entertain parts of your car like wind screen wipers! Just don’t feed them, it is not good for them, and only draws them closer to humans. Of course there are a number of muppets that cannot read or understand and feed them anyway…. humans…
The light at the end of the tunnel is Milford Sounds. The touristic photos show it with blue skies and a beautiful sun shining. Most of the time it will be gray, raining and foggy, but retains a surreal beauty, at least that is what the brochure says!
Milford Sound itself is a tiny village with no mobile phone coverage and internet via satellite only!!!! Yeah technology detox for a couple of days! You do not need it, the scenery, serenity peacefulness of the place will take up all your brain cells anyway.
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