Thursday, November 5, 2020
The drive from Arrowtown to Milford Sound is amazing. We took our time and just enjoyed the drive. The plan for the day was to camp at one of the DOC (Department of Conservation) campgrounds along the way, but we ended up doing much better than that.
It rained the entire day, which was fine as it added to the magic of the scenery. And would mean that the waterfalls would be running.
The little engine in the camper did ok of the narrow and steep roads, and was a good test. The road ends at Milford Sound and this is where we stayed the night. There is no obvious campgroud, but the Milford Sound Lodge mentioned campervans, which was a little strange, but we enquired. And we discovered the most amazing campground nestled in the native forest. The also had a common room with CNN, and we were able to find out the results of the US election. Biden/Harris looked like they would win, but counting continued. There is no cell coverage in Milford Sound, so this was the only way we could get information.
We went for an late afternoon walk to check out the place. Of course it rained. and it was raining as we fell alseep.
Friday, November 6, 2020
Woke-up to a beautiful sunny day. A great day to take a cruise on the Milford Sound.
We took a 2 hour cruise on the smallest boat on offer. Apparently we would get closer to the waterfalls and the wildlife. And since there are hardly any tourists, we had no trouble getting a ticket. During the cruise we saw the Fiordland crested penguin, which we did not expect, so that was a nice treat. Also saw fur seals.
After lunch in the local cafe, we headed back and towards Te Anau. We stopped at the Mirror Lakes on the Eglinton River. We saw trout in the waters. The drive was stunning.
iOverland recommended the Manapouri Motorhome and Caravan Park. And we were not disappointed. There were only two other campers in the park.
Saturday, November 7, 2020
It feels like the trip is coming to an end, but time to squeeze in one more destination. We had breakfast, packed up and headed back towards Queenstown.
