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| I took an overnight trip to go on a cruise of Doubtful Sound |
The journey
I took a several hour long journey of two bus rides and a boat ride to get from Queenstown to Doubtful Sound (close to the popular Milford Sound). I really enjoyed looking out the windows, thinking, and admiring all the beauty.
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| We stopped at a small cafe next to an old train. They only had muffins and scones and I asked if it was possible to eat a scone, which looked quite crumbly, without spilling it everywhere on the bus. The cashier snapped back, "You're an adult, aren't you?" Zing! (For the record, the crumbs were not able to be contained.) |
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| There are so many photos I'm not sharing, so I hope you enjoy these highlights |
New Zealand is particularly known for its sheep. In fact, back in
1982, there were over 70 million sheep compared to just 3.2 million residents.
Humans are still outnumbered, but the ratio has declined dramatically. Now,
there are 31 million sheep compared to 4.4 million people.
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| The hills are alive... with sheep! |
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| There are also 2.3 cattle for every human. Dairy farming has taken off in recent years. Sheep and cattle source: Stats New Zealand |
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| New Zealand has the most commercial deer farming in the world. Deer were originally imported for sport, but thrived and became pests. The government tried to control the problem (people even used to hunt them from helicopters) and then found that they could be captured and placed in farms. Look up "bulldogging" for crazy stories of the early days. Source: Teara |
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| I added a new profession to my repertoire: sea captain. Some boats now use joysticks, instead of the big wheels, for navigating |
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| I sailed aboard the fiordland navigator |
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| Going up the sound |
Waterfalls
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| On the left is Browne Falls. By some metrics, it is the highest waterfall in New Zealand and cascades down between 2,000-2,750 feet |
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| There were lots of waterfalls throughout the journey |
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| The water just keeps falling and falling and falling |
Rain, rain, go away please
stay
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| It drizzled on and off during the trip, which made the waterfalls even more spectacular |
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| Plus, we were able to see a rainbow |
Trees
Huge trees grow on the hills. However, as they get bigger, the hill can no longer support them and they fall over. In a domino
effect, they take out a lot of trees below them. Over time, seeds fall and new
trees grow and the cycle constantly repeats.
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| This tree was uprooted and fell down the hill |
Sea life: sea lions
I chose Doubtful Sound over Milford Sound because you are supposed
to see more animals. I was not disappointed.
We saw lots of sea lions:
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| King of the rock |
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| Diving in! |
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| It's hard to get on the rocks with the crashing waves |
Sea life: dolphins
My favorite was when a pod of dolphins swam next to our
boat, jumping in and out of the water.
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| Scoping out the situation |
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| Breaching! |
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| Doing flips |
Morning mist
Other travelers
My favorite conversation was with an American who works as a military liaison with a country in Eastern Europe. When he met his European counterpart, the European said, “I wish you would invade us.” Not sure if he was walking into a trap, the diplomat said, “Why would you say that?” The European responded, “We would have no chance and you would wipe out our military in a matter of days with minimal damage. However, you would be stuck here for years trying to rebuild the country and you would run our country much better than we can: things would be built and there would be order.” Then they both laughed to defuse the situation, while awkwardly realizing the Eastern European was probably right.
While America has a lot to offer the world, the world has a lot to offer Americans. Most of the people I met were foreigners and I loved hearing their perspectives, sharing experiences together, and learning from them. As well, I enjoyed seeing where so many people lived and getting a glimpse into what made their home so special.
My favorite conversation was with an American who works as a military liaison with a country in Eastern Europe. When he met his European counterpart, the European said, “I wish you would invade us.” Not sure if he was walking into a trap, the diplomat said, “Why would you say that?” The European responded, “We would have no chance and you would wipe out our military in a matter of days with minimal damage. However, you would be stuck here for years trying to rebuild the country and you would run our country much better than we can: things would be built and there would be order.” Then they both laughed to defuse the situation, while awkwardly realizing the Eastern European was probably right.
While America has a lot to offer the world, the world has a lot to offer Americans. Most of the people I met were foreigners and I loved hearing their perspectives, sharing experiences together, and learning from them. As well, I enjoyed seeing where so many people lived and getting a glimpse into what made their home so special.
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| My new Dutch friends |
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| We never actually spoke, but our hats were friends |
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| My main crew. Next to me is a Kiwi who used to work in Stillwater, MN! He and the Kiwi woman next to me are trail/nature guides in Fiordland so I spent the evening hearing all the latest local gossip |
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| We were packed in four to a cabin. My roommates must be the butt of many jokes |
Stunning views
Without hesitation, I'd say Doubtful Sound was the most beautiful place I've ever been. I hope you enjoyed this brief introduction!
Without hesitation, I'd say Doubtful Sound was the most beautiful place I've ever been. I hope you enjoyed this brief introduction!
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