South Island Road Trip: Queenstown to Milford Sound

Thursday, Sept 9:  You are never going to believe what I just did ... I got my nose pierced!!  What the heck?!  I don't do these things!  Two days ago Cathy said she wanted to get her nose pierced and I was like oh cool!  Then she said I should do it with her.  I just laughed and was like ha, no way would I ever get my nose pierced, I don't even have my ears pierced!  But then all the girls agreed I would look great with a nose piercing and so I actually began considering it.  In the space of five minutes my thought processes went like this...

• No freaken way
• Hmm maybe it would look good on me
• I can't believe I'm considering this
• Yes!  I am in Queenstown, NZ!  I just went bungy jumping!  I am going to pierce my nose!

So finally today came.  First of all, we parked in the parking lot outside the public library last night to camp.  We thought this was fine because there were no "no camping" signs.  But at 8:30 in the morning we wake up to someone pounding on our door.  It scared the crap out of us!  It was Dave from public security AH!  He told us it is illegal to camp in public parking areas, handed us a warning, and gave us five minutes to move.  I hate Dave!

Nose Piercings!!

Anyways, after that scare we ate breakfast at a pretty lookout and then went to the piercing place so Cathy and I could get our noses pierced together.  OMG first bungy jumping, next day piercing. Crazy!  So the best thing is our piercer is amazing!  Right away he could tell we were nervous but he was so confident.  He wrote a book about piercing and worked with doctors.  He talked so much about the science behind everything and I felt so good about it!  Cathy and I both chose the "petrol" studs - they glimmer different colours in the light.  Cathy went first but I couldn't watch.  Hers looks amazing!  Then it was my turn.  I asked the piercer his name and he said David.  That name is totally redeemed from this morning!  Steph held my hand and it happened all so fast.  I looked in the mirror and I love it!  It still looks foreign on my face though.  I named mine David and Cathy named hers Petrol.  We will forever be piercing buddys :)  love her!  Courtney also got her lip ring changed.  So many people I know are getting tattoos to commemorate their New Zealand experience which is great, but that's too permanent for me.  At least I can take this out if need be.  But for now it will be my semi-permanent momento of New Zealand and of this amazing life-changing time.  Life after bungy jumping is insane!!!

Homer TUnnel

We proceeded to explore the town a bit.  We checked our emails about school cancellations and extended our Jucy rental until Wednesday!  Then we ate a burger at the famous Ferg Burger.  So delicious!!!  Soon we left the adventure capital and drove toward Fiordland and Milford Sound.  Again it was such an epic drive.  I recognized the road but it was amazing all over again.  I love the Homer Tunnel on the Milford road.  There was no road access to Milford Sound until the 1.2-kilometre Homer Tunnel was built in 1954 through the mountains and under a bay that divided the sound from the Hollyford Valley.  It is the coolest and most rugged tunnel I've ever encountered.  That night we stayed at the Milford Lodge.

Milford Sound

Milford Sound

Our mission today was to travel through Fiordland National Park to get to Milford Sound.  This is the world's top travel destination and is considered the 8th world wonder.  I can tell you this place is beyond beautiful.  Even the one road to Milford Sound is considered one of the finest drives in the world.  When we arrived, we hiked around some trails and then took a small cruise around the Sound.  We were surrounded by sheer rock faces covered in rainforest and waterfalls.  One of the tallest mountains in the world, Mitre Peak, rose 1,692m above us, plus the 1,517m Elephant Mountain, resembling an elephant's head, and the 1,302m Lion Mountain, in the shape of a crouching lion.  One of my favorite parts was when a dolphin came right up to the boat and swam beside us.  Our ship captain said the dolphins like to ride alongside the boat because it propels them forward so they can move without effort!  I also loved the waterfalls and rainbows they created.  We got to put on rain jackets and go right under some of them.  We ended up sailing right out to the Tasman Sea and back, and got to see a lot of seals.  I wish everyone in the world could see this place.  Well done, Earth, I am beyond amazed.

Mirror Lakes

On the way back along the same road through Fiordland, we stopped at the Mirror Lakes.  These are formed by glaciation and are so incredibly still and reflect Mount Cook and Mount Tasman.  It was a brilliant site.  Afterward we drove to Invercargill where we got fish n' chips and went to sleep.