Part 2 : Piopiotahi, Milford Sound

Day 2, 12th of April 2012 - We allocated a whole day to visit one of the fjord (a long, narrow inlet with steep cliffs created in a valley carved by glacier activities - yeah, what an intro, booyah!) deemed the world top destination by TripAdvisor in 2008, the Milford Sound.

Copthorne, early morning view

From Fatin's room view

Its Maori name, Piopiotahi means "a single pio-pio", something about a legend of a Maui trying to gain immortality for mankind, died and the piopio (an extinct bird) was said to flown there for mourning. Anyway, legend cut short, we booked a cruise session to tour around Milford Sound, which was around 3 and a half hours drive from Copthorne.

We booked a $159 package via Southern Discovery, which covers a guided bus ride, cruise and buffet lunch. The bus driver picked us up from Copthorne at 7.30am. We were introduced to the bus driver, Brian and we boarded the bus full of other tourists (or locals who are that free on a Thursday, whichever goes) and headed towards the South. 

Great Sight Tour Bus

Everyone in the bus was a bit dormant from the early start of the day, aside from Brian, which Fatin said that his voice is deep and sexy. Brian gave informative details on the stops we had along the way, with stories and facts on New Zealand. 

Boarding Pass and Lunch Pass. Can't lose them both

Our first stop was Te Anau, toilet break and breakfast for those who needed them but again, camwhore time. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island, and tourism and farming are dominant in this area.

Handsome Moa statue here

Te Anau lake

Reflections of Cam Whores.

Along the other stops we had was the Eglinton Valley...

Lepaking at the field

More lepaking...

The mirror lake....

Walking in the woods of the Chasm...

Tasting the fresh alpine water

Busy people we all

 And Homer Tunnel, the only link from Milford Sound to Te Anau.

Great mountain views, no?

Homer Tunnel, the only link to Milford.

We arrived the cruise deck around 1pm, where we boarded the cruise named Pride of Milford slightly after alighting from the bus.

Happy to board :)

Getting up the cruise, we were 1st served the buffet lunch, which we only went for a round since the scenic view around when the cruise started moving, was irresistible, more so than the food.

Mussels, pork, cous cous and more :)

Fatin forced us to do a Titanic pose

Another cruise :)

Milford Sound

The highlight of the cruise was witnessing seals, and drenching ourselves near the waterfall there, which my parents claimed that people will get rich after touching the water there. Urban legend they said, get wet they said. Gutted that we did not see dolphins there, bah!

Stylish seals

Approaching the waterfall

Getting wet :)

Group Shot!

We definitely didn't feel like leaving there just yet, and was kinda heavy hearted to leave the cruise, and boarded the bus back to Queenstown. It was a backtracking trail all the way back, and along the journey, we were entertained, or rather what keeps us from decaying in the bus, was a video of a NZ movie called Whale Rider. Semi educational on the Maori culture and struggle of a daughter trying to impress her grandfather. 

The scene on the way back

We arrived Queenstown around 7pm, walked around town and had dinner before heading back to bed.

 

 

 

 

 

Though we were exhausted from the long journey in the bus, we were delighted that we have witnessed the best of New Zealand's South Island, one of the world's true wonder fit enough to be the eighth world wonder, according to Rudyard Kipling.

Day 4 would be interesting, as our first activity for the day would be bungy jumping. Till next time. Kia Ora!