Bluff is a very windy corner of our planet. Bluff Hill offers a beautiful panoramic view, but it's almost impossible to hold the camera steady enough to take a souvenir photo. A stiff southwesterly wind blows around our ears, and a diffuse light surrounds us. Out on the sea, the waves are high, and the whitecaps run like veins through a black-grey sea. The wind is cold, freezing cold.
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| Bluff, New Zealand |
We don't stay here long and continue on to Invercargill. Here we try almost in vain to find a gas station that sells 98 octane fuel. Unfortunately, we have a German-made car that prefers this premium fuel. Apparently, this is not very common in the south of New Zealand, so gas stations don't stock this type. After wandering all over Invercargill, we finally find a gas station that offers 98 octane. From here, it's about 270 kilometres to Milford Sound. From Te Anau onwards, there are no more gas stations. So you have to plan well if you don't want to run out of fuel.
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| Milford Sound, New Zealand |
Fortunately, we were able to find accommodation halfway to Milford Sound so that we could reach the sound the next day before the crowds of buses arrived. The weather is cloudy, and it rains from time to time. Nevertheless, we don't let that stop us and take a boat out to experience the unique natural surroundings. And we are lucky: the sun comes out at least some of the time. Despite the large crowds of tourists, nature retains all its beauty. This may be because there is only one access point and the rest remains untouched by tourism. In any case, thundering waterfalls cascading hundreds of metres down the rock faces, impressive rainbows, and the wildlife in the Sound leave a lasting impression. On the way back, we encounter the rare parrot species, the kea, in front of the Homer Tunnel. The mountain parrot is threatened with extinction and is only found in the alpine regions of New Zealand's South Island. The kea is omnivorous and also attacks sheep to get at the fat under their skin. This ultimately proved to be the kea's undoing. The population is estimated at around 4,000. The IUCN has placed the kea on the Red List of animals to be protected.
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| Waterfalls at Milford Sound, New Zealand |
If you think it can't get any worse than touristy Milford Sound, you should take a look at Queenstown. Queenstown is the Kitzbühel of the New Zealand Alps. Traffic chaos, luxury hotels, upscale Italian restaurants. Everything a person needs to have a decent vacation and spend their savings. To ensure that this happens as quickly as possible, the prices are accordingly high.
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| Townhouse in Queenstown, New Zealand |
But shortly after Queenstown, things become more bearable again. We go on a hike from Arrowtown along the Arrow River, on the so-called Arrow River Bridges Trail. If you want, you can bungee jump off the suspension bridge. Since we already have enough suicidal activities with our boat, we decide to forego the thrill.
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| Arrow River Bridge Trail, New Zealand |
Instead, our journey continues to the glaciers of New Zealand's Southern Alps. The region around Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier is a popular hiking area. That's why it's particularly difficult to find accommodation here. Franz Josef Glacier was once so large that it completely enclosed Mount Cook and the surrounding mountains. Like the Fox Glacier, both calved directly into the sea. This is unimaginable when you look at the current landscape. After all, today's tongs extend down to 400 metres. Both glaciers have an unusually high flow velocity. The Fox Glacier, for example, advances by one metre per week.
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| Fox Glacier, New Zealand |
What would a tour of New Zealand be without a gold rush story? Exactly, incomplete. We arrive in Ross. Ross was founded in 1860 during the gold rush and had up to 4,000 inhabitants during those years. But by 1870, it was already over, and the population declined steadily. Today, 330 people still live in Ross. If you want, you can still search for gold today. A circular trail leads past the mines and residential areas and gives a good impression of what life was like during the gold rush. A historic cemetery shows that life was very hard and fraught with danger.
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| Gold miner's hut near Ross, New Zealand |
With Ross, we have almost circumnavigated the South Island. At the end of the month, we will return to the North Island. Of course, we will continue to report on our experiences. Until then, we wish you fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
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