Milford Again

On the Milford Road

Peak and Glacier

A Grand Canyon, or More Like Yosemite

The Homer Tunnel, a Kilometer Long, One Lane, Just Big Enough for Tour Buses

Since we were embarking on the Routeburn Tramp from the Divide, we thought we'd just drive on another 50km and see Milford Sound again and all the fine scenery at leisure.

January 27, 2009—Te Anau

I did it! I did not have to be rescued by helicopter. I tramped (the correct Kiwi word) the four days of the “finest walk in the world,” the Milford Trek. Considering the last 3 days were 10 miles, 10 miles with 1700 ft of ascent and 3400 ft of descent, and then 12 miles—I am quite proud. Certainly the hardest 3 days I have done in a very long time. In Montana our limit for hiking was about 8 miles a day—we don't like to rush. Well, basically I can't be rushed—my knees just won't take rush. However, the first rest day I could hardly walk—much better now on day 3 off the tramp. It was worth it—it is a very well maintained trail, much better that ones in the Rocky Mountains. But I would only rate it as one of the finest walks in the world—not the finest.

Yesterday we had a nice half day kayak trip out into Milford Sound—which is not a sound at all, but a misnamed fiord. Again quite nice but not not as good as the build up. Milford Sound is the holy of holies in New Zealand tourism. Certainly worth doing—but I think the cruise to the end of the sound might have been better in this case. Kayaks are fun, but you can't go very far.

We start the Routeburn Trek on the 29th. It is a 3 day but we decided to backtrack and make it a four day and come out where we started. Otherwise we have to spend about $150 and 8 hours to ride 3 different buses back around to this side. We also already did most of the very last day on our day hike out of Glenorchy a week or so ago. That will only give us one rest day before we do a short two-day walk of the first part of the Kepler. But since the Routeburn is easier than the Milford, and I assume I am getting stronger, I hope that 1 day's rest will be enough.

Well, I need to go check the dryer and spend some time on the Internet at the library trying to figure out what we are doing in our 3 weeks in Hawaii other than our hike on the Kauai coast.