Hi everyone,
It's a little sad to finally be getting to this point in the blog. Queenstown is our last true stop on this tour. We left Mt Cook on Saturday, November 2nd, arriving late afternoon at our accommodation, The Rees Hotel. It was quite and idiosyncratic place, perched right on the side of steep hill overlooking the lake and with the mountains behind. I am including a few pictures taken out of the large window in our room. And when I say steep hill, I definitely mean it. The hotel lobby/gallery/library/bar are entered on level 7. Driving the car down to the parking level for our room (level 4) meant going along and then down a narrow roadway to a spot where I had to have faith that there was actually going to be road in when I could begin to see something except empty space in front of the car! Once in the parking garage, we walked across to what is basically a catwalk that leads to the rooms, open to the air around us. Lisa wasn't thrilled with this part actually; it was a little bit of a hike to get to our room, with the wind blowing in. The room was nice, and the hotel did have a laundry area which is a nice benefit after multiple weeks of traveling.
** views from our hotel, the one on the left from the day we arrived (in slight rain and lots of overcast) and the other two from the day we left
On Sunday, Lisa (who was still not feeling well) decided not to go on the Milford Sound excursion and to try to find a doctor instead. [** She was able to see someone, and although it didn't solve anything, it did rule out some more serious complaints - thank goodness!)
I went on the Milford Sound Coach/Cruise/Fly full day tour on my own (well, definitely not alone, but without a traveling companion). I met the coach early that morning for our several-hour trip up to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi. It is considered one of the world's finest alpine drives. We traveled through Fiordland National Park with its ancient beech forests, then through the Homer Tunnel and into valleys dwarfed by surrounding mountains.
** on the drive (1)
** and more on the drive (2)
** and more along the drive (3)
I have decided to publish this post, and then continue into the next one to complete the Milford Sound day. There are just too many pictures and videos!
Stay tuned.
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