Sunday 13 April 2008

Friday 7th March

Woo hoo, felt fine this morning, took my time over breky hoping Butterfli Lodge would have spare room a I hadn't finished with Queenstown just yet. Twasn't to be.

Doubtful In Doubt
My very own Master Plan was to head to Manapouri is a which a teeny tiny place on a lake by the same name which leads to Doubtful Sound via a mountain pass and do an overnighter on Doubtful Sound (supposedly more dramatic/rewarding/beautiful/vast etc.) than the tourist trap that is Milford Sound. Doubtful Sound is so called because legend has it (and we all believe in those - right kids?) Captain James Cook of Whitby took one look at the massive rock faces on either side of the inlet and declared that they were so large that he doubted whether or not they would be able to catch enough wind to get out of the Sound once they were in it. Having landed at Manapouri and enquired about overnight trips to D.S. it turns out none were leaving until Sunday lunchtime which was a bit far off as I'm already kind of behind schedule.

Sandflies
Had my first proper encounter with the little critters that are known a Sandflies. I had only stepped out of the car to ask a ferry worker about Doubtful trips for 2 minutes before my ankles were covered in the little hoons (a term the Kiwi press use for delinquent teenagers, I like it much more than 'Hoodies'). It seems that they find foreign blood, and mine in particular, very tasty indeed, tuck in boys! They are little black things that are silent assassins; flying pirhanas. It's hard to know they are around until it's too late, on the odd occasion you do spot one it is invariably perched arrow shaped and head first buried into some exposed part of your flesh.

Te Anau, a bit like Wales, nice place, shame about the people.

Nowt doing in Manapouri, it really is a one horse town, my,only option is to bomb to Te Anau and see if I can grab a Milford Sound day trip. Did so, booked in (unseen) to a naff holiday park, $30 single room for 2nts. It really was just a bed. Give me a homely Kiwi backpackers any day of the week. Te Anau is on a bit of dead-end road that terminates 120k north-west at Milford Sound. The town is perched on yet another vast and beautiful lake however I found the locals were mainly freaks and inbreds, it reminded me of West Virginia, Hicksville. I'm sorry but the place just felt empty and wholly uninviting which is the opposite to just about everywhere else I've been in NZ so far. Did have a fine Thai Green Curry at The Olive Tree tho and scabbed a free taxi home. When I asked why the pubs transported all their customers home the girl sighed and informed me that if they didn't then the clientelle would hang around outside just long enough for a fight to start. Judge for yourselves.

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