It would be wrong to talk about New Zealands regions but not to mention the Coast or Fjordland. The Coast was mentioned a few times already on our journey and I just want to list it here again, as it is very very important to the New Zealander. We also love to listen to the waves, watch how they roll in, walk along a beautiful beach, look for shells or just meditate overlooking the neverending ocean. However the deep joy and love to the sea as a New Zealander has we « landrats» can never comprehend equaly.
Fjordland should still get some space her. A huge area in the southwest of New Zealand is called Fjordland. Here the Southern Alps end and drop into the sea. As mentioned the Alps have been formed by glaciers and these southern parts have been deeply cut into them. Deep, steep, rough valleys and gorges have been formed, turning out to be large fjord-systems along the coast. Beeing also part of the westcoast with ist typical moist climate the mountains, reaching up to 2000m even are covered in a thick coat of rainforest. The summ of all doesn´t sound very accessable. There are some great walks, hiking trails and huts installed, otherwise only one road is build into one of the Fjords. Over a winding road through a constantly narrowing valley, across two passes and through a tunnel even you reach Milford Sound. Even if you are used to mountains the steep almost vertical walls, but still coverd with plants are very impressive. It feels peacful, almost reverently to glide around the corners of the Fjord and then out into Ocean.
It is not only mystical and calm out there. As written above Milford Sound ist he only fjord easyly accessable by road. As it also is celebrated as one of the tourist highlights there are about 60 busses and at least as many privat cars cruising the 130km in and out every day. Accordingly the atmosphere is hectic on the big car park at the harbour, where all the thousand tourist are looking for their cruise. The busy traffic on the narrow road was also the reason, why we didn´t even consider to cycle to Milford Sound. We went among the thousand tourists in one of the 60 busses.
Amasingly the greatness of the place was there despite of all the poeple. The other thousand were totally pushed into the background.
