"Haute" Ice Cream at Giapo Auckland New Zealand

New Zealand Food Memories 

THE BEST ICE CREAM I HAVE EVER TASTED – GIAPO AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND

The Ice Cream served at Giapo is truly awesome. 

Giapo's signature "Yorkshire Pudding" Ice-Creams are unique and really fabulous. 

Here is a picture of Yorkshire Pudding Ice Cream. 

If you are fond of Chocolate Ice Cream - you will feel delighted when you taste the marvelous rich flavour and feel a sense of fulfillment as you eat your ice cream. 

Here is a picture of "Haute" Chocolate Ice Cream 

There is a variety of innovative flavours - and - from the looks of delight from the foodies enjoying Giapo's ice cream - it is evident that all flavours are delicious. 

The popularity of Giapo is visible from the large number of icecream aficionados patiently queuing up for a cup or cone of Giapo Haute Ice Cream. 

Yes - they call it "haute" ice cream - and Giapo Ice Cream certainly lives up to its name. 

The Ice Creams are truly "haute" – exquisitely crafted – a fulfilling pudding – not a mere ice cream. 

Conveniently located on Queens Street in the heart of Auckland - Giapo is a "must eat" icecream during your visit to New Zealand. 


Tip: 

If you are a pure vegetarian - please confirm that the ice cream you are ordering is vegetarian. 

The “Monster” – an unfinished story

THE “MONSTER” – an Unfinished Story 

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Part 1 – MARRIAGE INTERVIEW

The moment the girl saw her future husband – she started trembling with fear.

He looked ferocious – like a barbarian – a savage brute.

Yes – “Monster” – that is first word that came to the delicate girl’s mind when she saw her future husband.

(So – Dear Reader – in this story – we will refer to him as “Monster”…)

The “Monster” looked at the fragile girl – and he said to the girl’s aunt:

“The girl seems very frightened…”

“No. No. She is okay…” the girl’s aunt said.

“She looks very young…”

“No. No. She is 18. Do you want me to get her birth certificate…?”

“Yes. We will require her birth certificate and other documents for her visa. I hope the girl has a passport…”

“Yes. Yes. It has just come…” the girl’s aunt said. “I assure you – she is not a minor…”

“What I meant was that she doesn’t seem ready for marriage…”

“No. No. She is ready for marriage…”

“But – is she ready to marry me…? I am 33 – I am more than 15 years older than her…”

“Of course she wants to marry you…” the girl’s aunt said.

The “Monster” looked at the delicate girl and he asked her:

“Are you sure that you want to get married to me…?”

The girl’s aunt looked sternly at the girl – and – the girl meekly nodded her head.  

And so – a few days later – the delicate 18 year old girl got married to the intimidating 33 year old “Monster”

Part 2 – THE “FIRST NIGHT”

The girl sat on the bedecked bed.

She was still wearing her wedding finery.

The girl looked at the flowers on the bed – “Flowers” for her “Deflowering” ceremony.

Tonight – her husband – the “Monster” – he would “deflower” her.

The girl felt terrified at the thought of what was going to happen to her.

What her uncle had tried to do – her husband would now do – and she could do nothing about it.

When her uncle had tried to rape her – she had fought back – but now – she would have to meekly submit – and surrender her body to her husband’s carnal desires.

The girl heard voices outside the room.

Her husband’s friends wanted to “celebrate” the wedding with a booze party.

She hoped that her husband would get so drunk that he would just “pass out” and go to sleep – unable to “perform” – and her agony would be postponed to another night.

Then – a frightening thought came to her brain – suppose her husband got violently drunk – then he would savage her even more brutally…”

The delicate girl felt terrified as she imagined what was going to happen to her.

Suddenly – she heard her husband’s voice:

“No. I will not drink tonight. You guys enjoy. My wife is waiting for me and I must go to her now…”

The girl saw the door opening.

Her husband – the “Monster” – he entered the bedroom – decorated for the “first-night”.

He looked at his newly-wedded wife – and he said to her:

 “I know we couldn’t go on our honeymoon immediately after our marriage – but don’t worry – once we get back to New Zealand – I will take you to Queenstown – and I will show you all the lovely places in the Southern Alps – we will have a long honeymoon…”

Then – the “Monster” started walking towards the girl.

The “Monster” sat on the bed – he looked at the girl’s face – and he said to the girl:

“Are you feeling okay…? You are sweating – and shivering…”

The terrified girl looked at the “Monster” with beseeching eyes.

The “Monster” looked at his newly-wedded wife and he said to her:

“Okay. I understand. You are not ready for me. You don’t worry. I will not force myself on you. I will come to you only when you want me to come to you. You go to sleep. I will sleep on the sofa…”

And so – on their “first night” – the girl slept on the bed – and her husband – the “Monster” – he slept on the sofa.

PART 3 – MARRIED LIFE

Three months had passed since her marriage to the “Monster”.

Her husband – the “Monster” – he had kept his promise – the promise that he had made to her on their “first night” – that he would not force himself upon her – that he would come to her only when she wanted him to come to her.

So far – she had not asked him to come to her.

And – he had not come to her.

In fact – she had not even spoken a single word to him.

Whenever he would speak to her – she would just meekly nod her head.

She was still terrified of her husband – the “Monster”.

But otherwise – she was quite happy in Auckland.

She liked her house – an independent “cottage” – with a lawn and garden – like most houses in New Zealand.

It was a “joint” family – her husband – his mother – his unmarried sister – they all lived together in the house.

Her husband had come to New Zealand many years ago.

And – after some time – as most Indian Immigrants do – he had brought his widowed mother and small sister as “dependents” to New Zealand.

Her husband – a truck driver – he would be away for days – and he would come home only once in a while.

And – even on those days – he would go out to the pub to drink beer with his “mates” – and come home drunk at night.

And then – he would sleep in the same room as her – but not in the same bed.

Her husband would lay out his mattress on the ground to sleep on.

Maybe her husband slept in the same room as her to keep up appearances of a “normal” marriage – lest his mother suspect that they had not “consummated” the marriage.

This arrangement was fine with her.

After that horrifying incident when her uncle had tried to rape her – she was extremely frightened of sexual intercourse – and felt petrified at the very thought of her “Monster” husband raping her.

Luckily – her husband was home only once in a while – and even on those days – he left her alone.

He hardly talked to her – except to bark orders when he wanted something – and she meekly complied without uttering a word.

Her mother-in-law – her husband’s mother – she ran the household.

Her sister-in-law just lazed around – she was 25 years old – and they were looking for a husband for her.

Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law treated her like a slave – they made her do all the housework – cooking, cleaning, washing – everything.

(In New Zealand – one didn’t have the luxury of “servants” – and you had to do all work yourself…)

She was a full-time servant.

It was quite clear that they had brought her to New Zealand more as a “slave” rather than as a “bride”.

It was a subtle way of “human trafficking”.

But – she preferred this life of “slavery” imposed on her by her domineering mother-in-law – rather than being brutally raped by her fearsome “Monster” husband – of whom she was still terrified.  

One evening – her husband – the “Monster” – he came home after a week – and he said to her: “I want to talk to you – come inside to our room…”

As she meekly followed her husband – her sister-in-law said to her: “Make a cup of tea for me – and some snacks too – I am hungry…”

On hearing this – her husband – the “Monster” – he stopped in his tracks – and – he suddenly turned around.

The “Monster” looked at his sister with angry eyes and shouted at her: “You go and make your tea yourself. She is not your bloody servant – she is my wife…”

On hearing the “Monster” shout angrily – his mother came running into the room and said to her son: “Why are you shouting at your young sister…?”

“I will not allow anyone to treat my wife like a slave…” the “Monster” said to his mother.

“What do you mean by saying that we treat her like a “slave”…?” her husband’s mother said, “isn’t your wife supposed to share the housework…?”

“Share the housework – yes – but not all the housework. Don’t think I have not been noticing – you make her do everything. You make her slog all day and treat her with disdain. I will not tolerate it any longer. My wife must be treated properly. Do you understand…?” the “Monster” shouted at his mother and sister.

The girl saw that her husband – the “Monster” – he was now looking at her.

On seeing her husband’s angry eyes – the girl trembled with fear.

Her husband pointed towards her – and he said to his mother:

“Look at her – see how frightened she looks. She is such an innocent young girl – so fragile – she is suddenly moved to a strange new land – a dainty and delicate girl forcibly married to a rough and coarse man like me – try to imagine how scared she must be feeling – and – instead of comforting her – you bully and browbeat her – and treat her like slave…”.

“Okay. Okay…” the girl’s mother-in-law said sarcastically, “we will treat your wife like a “Maharani” (Queen)…”

“Don’t be sarcastic…” her husband said to his mother, “I want my wife to be treated properly – that’s all…”

“And you…” the girl saw her husband – the “Monster” – he was looking at her – and he said to her, “You look sick. Are you feeling well…?”

The girl looked fearfully at her husband – as if she were dumbstruck with fear.

Her husband shouted at her: “Are you dumb or something…? I haven’t heard you speak a single word since we got married…”

The terrified girl ran into their room.

She waited with fear for her angry husband to come into the room.

But – her husband did not come.

Her husband – the “Monster” – he stormed out of the house and went to his favourite pub – to cool off his anger. 

She woke up from her sleep when her husband entered their room late at night.

He looked all disheveled – his eyes were bloodshot red.  

He seemed to be horribly drunk.

She felt tremors of trepidation.

She shut her eyes tightly.

She pretended to be asleep.

She feigned sleep – hoping he wouldn’t get into the bed beside her.

She was afraid that his dreadfully drunken state – he may rape her.

But – he didn’t get into the bed beside her.

He threw his mattress on the floor and collapsed on it – into deep sleep.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

Next morning – when she woke up – she found that her husband had already gone away. 

Story to be continued… 

VIKRAM KARVE 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 
© vikram karve., all rights reserved. 

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

This Story Posted Earlier at URLs: http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-monster-chapter-1.html  and  and   https://karve.wordpress.com/2018/11/20/unfinished-story-the-monster/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2018/12/18/my-unfinished-stories-the-monster/ and  https://karvediat.blogspot.com/2019/10/unfinished-story-monster-chapter-1.html  and  https://karve.wordpress.com/2019/10/09/unfinished-fiction-short-story-monster/  etc 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

 

“Better Life” – Story of a Migrant

WHY DO PEOPLE MIGRATE...?

Whenever I ask my people who have migrated abroad:

“Why did you migrate away from India to a new country...?” 

the “migrants” always say: 

“We migrated for a “Better Life”...”

I did not exactly understand what they really meant by “Better Life”.

During my two visits to New Zealand in 2015 and 2016 – when I stayed in New Zealand for a month each time – I met some people who had migrated to New Zealand for a “Better Life”.

And – after talking to them – I began to understand a bit – though not very clearly.

But – it was after this conversation with the taxi driver in Auckland – that the meaning of “Better Life” became crystal clear to me.

A “BETTER LIFE”

Conversation with a Taxi Driver in New Zealand

By

VIKRAM KARVE

The taxi arrived on the dot at 6:30 AM – as booked.

We checked out of our hotel in Parnell, Auckland. 

And soon – we were on our way to Auckland International Airport to catch the flight to Seoul – the first leg of our return journey to India.

We had left Pune on the evening of the 21^st of December 2015 – to catch our flight which took off from Mumbai in the wee hours of the 22^nd of December – to Incheon – on our way to Auckland, New Zealand. 

And now – it was the 8^th of January 2016 – our 18 days in New Zealand had passed in a jiffy – one of the most enjoyable periods of our life.

Like all Taxi Drivers – our taxi driver was smartly dressed – navy blue trousers, white shirt and light blue tie.

He was tall and fair – but looked of Indian descent.

The taxi driver said “good morning” – and helped us with our luggage.

“If you don’t mind – we will drop off our daughter on the way at Epsom...” I said to the taxi driver.

“Sure, Sir...” he said.

We dropped off our daughter near her lodgings at Epsom – a 3 minute drive from our hotel – and continued on our way to the Airport 20 kilometres away.

“Are you from India, Sir…” the taxi driver asked.

“Yes…” I said.

“Is this your first visit to New Zealand…?” the taxi driver asked me.

“Yes…” I said.

“You came to meet your daughter…?” he said.

“Yes – and we did a bit of sightseeing too – all over the South Island – and around Auckland…” I said.

Suddenly – it started raining heavily.

“The weather is very fickle over here...” I said, “one day it is sunny and hot – and the next day it gets rainy and cold.”

“Sir – they say that in New Zealand – you sometimes get all the 4 seasons in one day…” he said.

“Are you also from India…?” my wife asked the taxi driver.

“I am from Lahore – but now – I am a citizen of New Zealand for many years. I came here more than 20 years ago...” he said. 

“Why did you migrate to New Zealand…?” I asked.

“I migrated to New Zealand for the sake of my children – I wanted them to get good education and have a “Better Life”…” he said.

“So you came here for a “Better Life”…?” I asked.

“Yes – I am happy I came here – my children got the best education free of cost – now - they have got good jobs – and both my children have settled down here – yes – for me and my family – I really have achieved a “Better Life” here in New Zealand – than what I would have got back home…” he said.

“That’s good…” I said.

“You must be knowing, Sir – what is the status of Taxi Drivers back there in India – but over here in New Zealand – there is “dignity of labour” – here – all types of jobs are respected equally – and even financially – you can earn a decent amount of money in whatever work you do – since the minimum wage is good – more than 15 dollars an hour…” he said.

“Yes – I saw that everywhere – irrespective of the job they are doing – everyone seems to have self-esteem – and everyone is well-mannered, polished and educated…” I said.

“Sir – over there – you have to worry about your old age – but here – in New Zealand – once you become a citizen – you get all sorts of social security schemes and welfare allowances – unemployment benefit if you lose your job – they even pay your rent, if required – a superannuation pension – and all your needs are looked after by the government till you die…” he said.

“Really…?”

“Sir – back home – “healthcare” for old age is a big issue – but here – you get top-class healthcare totally free – just last year – my wife had a knee replacement operation – and I did not spend a single penny – in fact – they even provided a wheelchair and special bed at my home for her period of convalescence – totally free of cost. Sir – over there – in India – you have to save money for your old age – especially for medical treatment in your old age if you fall ill – but over here – in New Zealand – you don’t have to save any money for old age – since everything is looked after…” he said.

“So you are very happy that you migrated to New Zealand for a “better life”…” I said.

“Yes – we are really having a much “Better Life” over here in New Zealand than what we would have had back home over there – especially my children…” he said.

“Don’t you miss your roots…?” I asked.

“20 years ago – when I first came – I did miss my original country – and I used to visit once in 2 years – but now – New Zealand is my country – and our children are settled over here – there is nothing left back there for me now – so I hardly visit Lahore – in fact – I have not gone for the last 5 years…” he said.

The taxi had reached the Airport – and – I bid “goodbye” to the taxi driver.

Earlier – when people who were migrating abroad to foreign countries would say that – they were migrating abroad for a “Better Life” – I did not exactly understand what they really meant.

But now – after the conversation with the Taxi Driver in Auckland – the meaning of “Better Life” was crystal clear.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh. 

2. This story is a work of fiction.  Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

Revised Re-post of my story A BETTER LIFE posted by me Vikram Karve online earlier in my Academic and Creative Writing Journal Blog on 11 January 2016 at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/01/a-better-life-conversation-with-taxi.html  and revised and reposted at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/04/people-migrate-for-better-life.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/07/why-do-people-migrate-conversation-with.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2017/05/kiwi-indians-better-life-migration-story.html

Travel Blog – New Zealand Memories – Milford Sound

MILFORD SOUND 

A Travelogue

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Milford Sound is Awesome

Nowadays – it has become a fashion – especially among youngsters – to use the word “awesome” for anything and everything.

If you want to understand (and visualize) the true meaning of the word “awesome” – you should visit MILFORD SOUND – nestled in the UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park in South New Zealand.

“Awesome” refers to an overwhelming thrilling feeling of amazement combined with fear or wonder.

Milford Sound is Awesome.

In good weather – the breathtaking landscape of Milford Sound inspires exhilarating feelings of wonder.

(Luckily – we visited Milford Sound on 27 December 2015 – a bright clear sunny day – in the best of weather – so we experienced “awesome wonder”)

Our guides at Milford Sound told us – that – we were fortunate that the weather was so good on that day – because – in rough weather – the sky becomes overcast – there are heavy winds and torrential rains – and the sea becomes terribly turbulent – the atmosphere becomes so frighteningly eerie and terrifyingly scary – that – the same Milford Sound induces a “fear-provoking awesomeness”)

So – whether it overwhelms you with feelings of extreme fear or intense wonder –Milford Sound is Awesome.

Fiordland

Milford Sound is located in Fiordland.

One of the world’s vast wildernesses of untamed splendor – Fiordland is New Zealand’s largest National Park comprising a magnificent landscape of soaring snow-covered peaks, glistening fiords, beautiful lakes, untamed waterfalls, virgin forested valleys, and fast-flowing rivers winding through native forest.

Fiordland is located on the South West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand – and is a “must see” destination for anyone visiting New Zealand.

Cloud-piercing cliffs, snowcapped mountains, lush rainforest and spectacular waterfalls adorn this glacier-carved pristine wilderness. The fiords and lakes, deepest in New Zealand, are amazing. In Fiordland – the sea water is permanently covered by a layer of fresh water as a result of heavy rainfall and run-off water flowing downwards from glaciers – and – due to this – there is extraordinary marine life in Fiordland. While fiords can be upto 400 meters deep – marine life tends to occupy only the top 40 meters – so you can see dolphins, seals and penguins.

“A cherished corner of the world where mountains and valleys compete with each other for room, where scale is beyond comprehension, rainfall is measured in metres and scenery encompasses the broadest width of emotions” – this is how the author of the book “Mountains of Water – The Story of Fiordland National Park” described this stunning National Park.

The extraordinary beauty, unique topography and physical grandeur of Fiordland is a result of the enormous natural power of water – glaciers created the stunning landscape by carving out the sheer faces of the fiords and chiseling out the valley floors to form deep lakes – and so – water is the predominant facet in the beauty of Fiordland – awesome glaciers and rugged peaks in the midst of picturesque lakes, rivers, waterfalls, lush rainforests and stunning fiords.

Are they “Sounds” or “Fiords” 

Fiordland’s west coast is deeply indented by 14 fiords spanning 215 kilometers of coastline. You see an awesome sight of steep mountains rise up from the ocean.

The Fiordland area was well known to the Maori – but there were hardly any permanent residents due to the rugged landscape and unpredictable turbulent weather conditions in Fiordland which lies between Latitudes 44 and 47 degrees South (The “Roaring Forties”). The Maori established well worn trails linking seasonal food-gathering camps and gathered koko-takiwai, a translucent gemstone found in the area.

Captain Cook and his crew were the first Europeans to visit Fiordland and in 1773 they spent 5 weeks in ‘Dusky Sound’. Captain Cook’s maps and descriptions soon attracted sealers and whalers who formed the first European settlements of New Zealand. In mid-19^th century – explorers, surveyors and prospectors began to explore and discover the unexplored interiors of Fiordland.

These early European explorers saw the spectacular sight of steep mountains rising from the ocean creating deep water-filled valleys – and they called these water-filled valleys as “Sounds” and gave them various names (Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound etc).

However – in the case of these water inlets from the sea – the word “Sound” was a misnomer – because a true “Sound” is a river valley that has been flooded due to the land sinking below sea level – whereas “Fiords” is created by glacial action that produces U-Shaped valleys with steep cliffs – as is the case in Fiordland. Hence – “Fiords” is the correct terminology to describe these “Sounds” (Milford Fiord, Doubtful Fiord, Dusky Fiord etc).

The confusion in calling “Fiords” as “Sounds” may be due to the fact that many of the early sailors who discovered this area were of English and Welsh origin and were not familiar with Fiords – and named these “Fiords” as “Sounds”. This misnomer while naming the famous “Sounds” continued as a legacy, but the region was renamed “Fiordland” to recognize the true nature of these rugged water inlets from the sea.

Legendary History of Fiordland

There is a Maori legend regarding the formation of Fiordland. According to Maori legend, Tu-te-raki-whanoa carved out the fiords with his adze (right angled axe) Te Hamo. He started in the far south where he created a rough coastline with many islands. By the time he reached ‘Milford Sound’ he had perfected his technique and carved an awe-inspiring fiord which he called Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) which was his greatest achievement.

Milford Sound is the northernmost and most accessible of the fiords – by the spectacular Milford Road – which begins from Te Anau, skirts the western bank of lake Te Anau, meanders through Eglinton Forest, climbs up to glacier dominated mountains, then,  goes through the long Homer Tunnel under the Southern Alps, after which the road descends sharply to sea level to Milford Sound.

It is said that Rudyard Kipling referred to Milford Sound as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” when he visited at the turn of the 20^th century – but it was only after the opening of the 1.2 km long Homer Tunnel in 1954 that tourists could easily access the fiord. Once you visit the awesome Milford Sound, you will realize why Milford Sound has been called the “8th Wonder of the World”.

Visit to Milford Sound

We visited Milford Sound on the 27^th of December 2015 – luckily it was a bright summer day with clear sky and lovely weather.

We opted for the Milford Sound “Coach and Cruise” Day Tour – which includes a 10 hour road journey by comfortable sightseeing bus from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back – and a scenic cruise of 2 hours sailing around the entire Milford Sound from Milford Wharf to the Tasman Sea and back.

The road journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound and Back to Queenstown covers around 600 kilometers.

Milford Sound is to the west – not very far from Queenstown – ‘as the crow flies’.

However – the terrain between Queenstown and Milford Sound is very mountainous and extremely rugged due to which it was impossible to build direct roads through the mountains.

Hence – you have to travel south from Queenstown – take a long and scenic detour to the South – then travel north past Eglinton Valley – before heading west through the Homer Tunnel and then down to Milford Sound. The road is quite narrow and winding  – a challenging drive – and – if you want to enjoy the trip – it is best to travel by bus – the luxury coaches have big windows and glass roofs for an excellent view of the stunning scenery.

Though the bus journey is quite long – it takes around 5 hours to reach Milford Sound – luckily – it is through some of the world’s most beautiful scenery – with plenty of comfort stops for sightseeing – and – this makes the trip memorable.

PART 1 : QUEENSTOWN TO MILFORD SOUND – STUNNING SCENERY

Unforgettable Road Journey to Milford

During our visit to New Zealand’s South Island, we had based ourselves at Queenstown, Southern Hemisphere’s premier Alpine Resort, a beautiful town situated on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu, surrounded by glacier rounded hills and rugged mountain peaks.

(In case I get an opportunity to visit New Zealand again – I shall spend a day or two at Te Anau – which will give me an opportunity to visit other attractions of Fiordland like ‘Doubtful Sound’ and indulge in some “tramping” in the Fiordland National Park – and then – also see Southland (Southern South Island) – drive on the Southern Scenic Route – and visit Invercargill, Bluff, Stewart Island, The Catlins, Dunedin etc)

On the day of our visit to Milford Sound (27 Dec 2015) – the Milford Sound Day Tour Bus departed at 7 AM from our hotel in Queenstown. We crossed the one lane Kawarau River Bridge – and then – we traveled south beside the iconic Remarkables mountain range (one of only two mountain ranges in the world that run directly north to south) to the east – and Lake Wakatipu to the west.

Lake Wakatipu is the longest lake in New Zealand (80 kilometers long) and very deep (between 378-420 meters deep in some places). According to Maori legend – Lake Wakatipu was formed when the body of a sleeping giant was burnt by a Maori warrior, who wanted to ensure the giant could never again kidnap his beautiful daughter. The fire burned a deep gouge in the earth and caused the ice and snow on the surrounding mountains to melt, forming Lake Wakatipu.

After passing through the towns of Kingston (at the southernmost point of Lake Wakatipu), Athol and Lumsden (I wonder whether the famous Lumsden Freehouse in Newmarket Auckland is named after this town) – the bus turns west to travel through rural countryside toward Te Anau. On the way – the bus crosses Mossburn (the self-proclaimed deer capital of New Zealand) – then the road follows the Oreti River – then continues into the hills – passes through undulating tussock lands and valleys – before emerging back onto the plains – eventually bringing us to the lakeside town of Te Anau.

After the drive of more than 2 hours, there is a comfort and refreshment halt at Te Anau – and it is advisable to “refresh” yourself well with food and drink here – so that you are ready for the long day ahead. The lovely town of Te Anau is nestled on the shore of Lake Te Anau – the largest lake in South Island of New Zealand – and – as I said earlier – Te Anau is the ideal base to explore Fiordland.

Milford Road

After Te Anau – our bus headed north – through the Fiordland National Park – to Milford Sound – a spectacular alpine drive of almost 3 hours – to cover 120 kilometers – from Te Anau to Milford Sound on a beautiful finest scenic highway.

The entire area is a sanctuary of fauna and flora and underwater environment and a part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area – so – for a good part of the Milford Sound Road Trip you will be out of cell phone range or wi-fi coverage (since you will be in the wilderness). 

The bus travels on Te Anau lake shoreline before entering the spectacular golden grassed Eglinton Valley. Thereafter – the bus stops at various scenic points to enable you to enjoy the awesome natural beauty and take photographs for memory.

Our driver (who doubled up as a guide) gave us a lively commentary throughout the journey, showing us the captivating sights, and giving us a wealth of information on the history, flora and fauna of the region, and he also showed us some of the locations where ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy was filmed. 

(New Zealand’s dramatic scenery – golden plains, towering mountains and enchanting valleys – plays the mythical world of ‘Middle-Earth’ on the big screen in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogy. More than 150 locations throughout the country were used to film The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogy)

The Eglinton Valley is the first major highlight of the Milford Sound Road. It was once filled with glacier ice. The valley has steep rock sides and a flat, golden tussock floor and is a surreal place where the road penetrates steeper into bush-clad mountains. Then we saw stunning sights like Mirror Lakes, in which you can see a perfect reflection of the Earl Mountains, the ‘Avenue of the Disappearing Mountain’, where an optical illusion causes the approaching mountain to get smaller rather than larger, Knobs Flat, at the end of the forest, and Cascade Creek.

Then we headed through bush clad valleys on the shores of Lake Gunn and Lake Fergus – and then – the road passes through ‘The Divide’ – past a saddle – and emerges at the upper section of the Hollyford Valley. The driver told us that the Eglinton Mountains above Lake Gunn were used as a location for the movie The Fellowship of the Ring – and the mountains here represented the Misty Mountains.

After Hollyford – the road rises steadily along the valley to its highest point at the Homer Tunnel. On this road we witnessed remnants of landslides from the glaciers above – with glacial snow almost hugging the road.

The Homer Tunnel looks quite “eerie” – a dark narrow hole in the towering Southern Alps. Completed in 1953, the 1270 meter long Homer Tunnel pierces the sheer rock to allow access to Milford Sound across the high snow capped mountain range. At an altitude of 945 meters above sea level, the tunnel is hewed out of solid granite – an extraordinary achievement – the tunnel took nearly 20 years to complete. The tunnel has remained unmodified since its creation, has limited internal lighting which makes it dark inside, and it is quite narrow in width and small in height, which entails one-way traffic. So – the bus waits for green light to indicate we can pass through the blackness of the narrow tunnel – while we enjoy the view of the ice-debris of a glacial landslide beside the road.

After we cross the Homer Tunnel – there is a spectacular view of the road winding down the verdant Cleddau Valley towards Milford Sound. The bus stops at a scenic place called ‘The Chasm’ – where there is a walkway through the forest and footbridges over The Cleddau River – and you can see breathtaking views of powerful waterfalls and sculpted shapes and basins in the rock, which have been formed over thousands of years by the swirling waters.

(The construction of the Milford Road section began in 1926 when John Chartres, a local Station owner, began making his own road south from Te Anau Downs Harbour to the Te Anau Hotel, sparking a project that turned into the most scenic highway in New Zealand including iconic landmarks such as the Mirror Lakes, the Avenue of Disappearing Mountain, Lake Gunn, the Key Summit, Mount Christina, Mount Talbot, the Homer Tunnel, The Chasm, Mount Tutoko and Mitre Peak. It was made a proper state highway in the 1980’s.

It was a major undertaking to build the Milford Road, and it took nearly 30 years until both the gravel road and Homer Tunnel were finished in 1954. No-one thought it was an appealing job to work in the remote wilderness of Fiordland, being subject to all kinds of wild weather, floods, snow, avalanches, so most of the men who worked on the road were more or less forced by the Government to take the jobs up during the Great Depression.

The section from Te Anau to ‘The Divide’ was completed in the 1930. Work on the Homer Tunnel began in 1935. Difficult conditions, and a break during World War II, delayed the completion until 1953. The road was sealed in the 1980’s and the last stretch of the road was finally completed in 1992)

Soon – we skirt the Milford Sound ‘Freshwater Basin’ (a small ‘harbour’ which contains more freshwater than saltwater and was named accordingly) – and the bus disembarks us at the Cruise Terminal at the Wharf – where we embark on board The Pride of Milford, a large catamaran.

It is almost 1 PM in the afternoon when we reach Milford Sound – we have traveled for almost 6 hours from Queenstown – but the stunning scenery made the journey so enjoyable – which bears testimony to the saying: “The Milford Road isn’t just a journey – it’s a destination in itself”.

We took many photos during the journey on Milford (and I may post a separate photo-blog on our visit to New Zealand and Milford Sound) – but – just to give you an idea of the scenery – here a few pictures we took on our journey on the Milford Road.

Milford Road

 Lake Te Anau

Eglinton River

                                                                 Eglinton River Valley 

                                           Reflection of Earl Mountains in Mirror Lake

Knobs Flat 

(In the distance you can see the Southern Alps Mountain Range which you have to cross through Homer Tunnel to reach Milford Sound)

Landscape on Climb to Homer Tunnel

Glacial Landslide

Glacial Ice remnants from a Landslide 

(waiting for Green Light outside Homer Tunnel)

Bus Waiting to enter Homer Tunnel 

Landscape to West of Homer Tunnel

Climbing Down Southern Alps towards Sea Level 

Road Descends towards Milford Sound 

Waterfall in "The Chasm" Forests near Milford Sound

View from The Chasm

Crossing Cleddau River near Milford Sound

Milford Sound Freshwater Basin 

(Milford Wharf is just across the hill)

PART 2 : MILFORD SOUND SCENIC CRUISE

Background

Around 180 million years ago New Zealand broke away from a giant landmass called Gondwana and drifted nearly 3,000 kilometers south to its present location.

Till the 1300s – New Zealand was uninhabited – and no human had visited these islands.

Polynesians sailed here in the early 1300s, following their ancestor Kupe, who had named the country “Aotearoa” – “Land of the Long White Cloud”.

Dutch explorer Abel Tasman arrived in 1642 – naming the land “Nieuw Zeeland”.

European settlement began in 1769 with the arrival of British Navigator Captain James Cook.

However – Fiordland was still undiscovered by the Europeans.

Fiordland’s west coast is deeply indented by 14 fiords spanning 215 kilometers of coastline – and you see an awesome sight of steep mountains rise up from the ocean.

The Fiordland area was well known to the Maori – but there were hardly any permanent residents due to the rugged landscape and unpredictable turbulent weather conditions in Fiordland which lies between Latitudes 44 and 47 degrees South (The “Roaring Forties”). The Maori established well worn trails linking seasonal food-gathering camps and gathered koko-takiwai, a translucent gemstone found in the area.

More than 4 years after landing in New Zealand – Captain Cook and his crew were the first Europeans to visit Fiordland in 1773 – and they spent 5 weeks in ‘Dusky Sound’.

Captain Cook’s maps and descriptions soon attracted sealers and whalers who formed the first European settlements of New Zealand.

In mid-19^th century – explorers, surveyors and prospectors began to explore and discover the unexplored interiors of Fiordland.

Are they “Sounds” or “Fiords” (also spelt “Fjords”)

These early European explorers saw the spectacular sight of steep mountains rising from the ocean creating deep water-filled valleys – and they called these water-filled valleys as “Sounds” and gave them various names (Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound etc).

However – in the case of these water inlets from the sea – the word “Sound” was a misnomer – because a true “Sound” is a river valley that has been flooded due to the land sinking below sea level – whereas “Fiords” is created by glacial action that produces U-Shaped valleys with steep cliffs – as is the case in Fiordland.

Hence – “Fiords” is the correct terminology to describe these “Sounds” (Milford Fiord, Doubtful Fiord, Dusky Fiord etc).

The confusion in calling “Fiords” as “Sounds” may be due to the fact that many of the early sailors who discovered this area were of English and Welsh origin and were not familiar with Fiords – and named these “Fiords” as “Sounds”.

This misnomer while naming the famous “Sounds” continued as a legacy, but the region was renamed “Fiordland” to recognize the true nature of these rugged water inlets from the sea.

Legendary History of Fiordland

There is a Maori legend regarding the formation of Fiordland.

According to Maori legend, Tu-te-raki-whanoa carved out the fiords with his adze (right angled axe) Te Hamo.

He started in the far south where he created a rough coastline with many islands.

By the time he reached ‘Milford Sound’ he had perfected his technique and carved an awe-inspiring fiord which he called Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) which was his greatest achievement.

The Goddess of the underworld, Hine-nui-te-po, came to see the place and was so alarmed at seeing the awesome beauty of Piopiotahi, that she got worried that once people see this magnificent fiord they would be so attracted by it beauty that they would settle down here and spoil the pristine beauty of the place.

So – to deter humans from settling down here – she released the ‘Sandfly’ into Milford Sound.

(Sandfly is an insect which bites human beings). 

Maybe – that is why there is a place called “Sandfly Point” where the Arthur River enters the Milford Sound.

The Maori called the fiord ‘Piopiotahi’ after the thrush-like piopio bird, now extinct.

Welsh Settlers baptized it with the current name after ‘Milford Haven’ in Wales.

Rudyard Kipling called it the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

As explained earlier – Milford Sound isn’t actually a ‘Sound’ but a “Fiord” – an inlet of the Tasman Sea – the length of Milford Sound is more than 12 Kilometers - it is 7.5 miles long – and the depth is upto 400 meters – with an average of around 320 meters (1,050 feet) deep.

8^th Wonder of the World

Milford Sound is the northernmost and most accessible of the fiords – by the spectacular Milford Road – which begins from Te Anau, skirts the western bank of lake Te Anau, meanders through Eglinton Forest, climbs up to glacier dominated mountains, then, goes through the long Homer Tunnel under the Southern Alps, after which the road descends sharply to sea level to Milford Sound.

Cloud-piercing cliffs, snowcapped mountains, lush rainforest and spectacular waterfalls adorn this glacier-carved pristine wilderness. The fiords and lakes, deepest in New Zealand, are amazing. In Fiordland – the sea water is permanently covered by a layer of fresh water as a result of heavy rainfall and run-off water flowing downwards from glaciers – and – due to this – there is extraordinary marine life in Fiordland. While fiords can be upto 400 meters deep – marine life tends to occupy only the top 40 meters – so you can see dolphins, seals and penguins.

It is said that Rudyard Kipling referred to Milford Sound as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” when he visited at the turn of the 20^th century – but it was only after the opening of the 1.2 km long Homer Tunnel in 1954 that tourists could easily access the fiord. Once you visit the awesome Milford Sound, you will realize why Milford Sound has been called the “8th Wonder of the World”.

Milford Sound Scenic Cruise

We visited Milford Sound on the 27^th of December 2015 – luckily it was a bright summer day with clear sky and lovely weather.

We opted for the Milford Sound “Coach and Cruise” Day Tour – which includes a 10 hour road journey by comfortable sightseeing bus from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back – and a scenic cruise of 2 hours sailing around the entire Milford Sound from Milford Wharf to the Tasman Sea and back.

The road journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound and Back to Queenstown covers around 600 kilometers.

The Road Journey has been described in Part 1 of this travelogue: MILFORD ROAD 

(url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/02/milford-sound-is-awesome-travelogue.html )

Now – let me tell you about the scenic cruise in Milford Sound.

Since I do not have words to describe the awesome beauty of Milford Sound – I will post a few pictures which I clicked on my smartphone for you to appreciate – with a bit of description.

Our cruise vessel was a Catamaran named ‘PRIDE OF MILFORD’ 

Pride of Milford

The cruise started from the small “harbour” in the Freshwater Basin (which thanks to the inflow the Arthur and Cleddau Rivers and glacial streams – contains more freshwater than saltwater from the sea – and so is named accordingly). 

Freshwater Basin

Milford Sound Cruise Begins

In front of us – we had a spectacular view of the fiord with the 2, 014 meter high snowcapped Mount Pembroke towering majestically above – the glacier on Mount Pembroke is the remnant of the glacier which carved its way through the fiord and is upto 27 meters in depth. 

Fiords and Mountains

Several streams from the melting snow flow down into the fiord – giving it a layer of freshwater which sits on top of the seawater facilitating the unique marine life found here in Milford Sound. 

The cruise vessel then skirted the southern side of the fiord via scenic sights like the 161 meter high “Bowen Falls”.

Then we see a hanging valley called “Sinbad Gully” on the slopes of Mt Phillips.

Sinbad Gully (a Hanging Valley) 

Of course – dominating the landscape is the 1692 meter high Mitre Peak – the highest mountain in the world to rise directly from the ocean floor – which resembles a Bishop’s Mitre (headdress)

Mitre Peak

We then cruise past mountains called “The Lion” and “The Elephant” because of their shapes.

Lion (Left) Elephant (Right) with Mt Pembroke in background

Then – sailing through the narrowest section in the fiord called “Copper Point”because of very high deposits of copper found on the slopes. This narrow part of the fiord is very windy – wind gusts in excess of 140 kmph have been recorded here. 

Copper Deposits on Mountainside

Then we saw one of the prettiest parts of the fiord – “Fairy Falls” – which have a natural rainbow.

Fairy Falls

Mitre Peak and Fairy Falls from Tasman Sea Side

Now – the fiord opens up towards the Tasman Sea at Dale Point – via “Anita Bay”(where Maori explorers visited for greenstone) – and “St Anne’s Point” at the entrance to fiord where the Milford Sound Lighthouse is located.

Sailing Towards Dale Point (Entrance to Milford Sound from Tasman Sea)

Anita Bay (Tasman Sea can be seen ahead)

Entrance to Milford Sound Fiord from the Tasman Sea

St. Anne's Point on Tasman Sea

Once we reached the Tasman Sea – the cruise vessel made a broad sweep and then turned around – and here – where the fiord meets the sea – we saw a few Dolphins jumping out of the water.

Tasman Sea

Can you spot the Dolphin wake

On the way back – the cruise vessel skirted the northern side of the fiord.

We stopped at “Seal Rock” we saw a number of Fur Seals basking on the rock.

See the Seals on the Rock to the left and in front

Seals Basking in the sun at Seal Rock

Then we saw the 155 meter high majestic “Stirling Falls” (the vessel got so close that we were almost drenched under the waterfall)

Stirling Falls

Then – we entered Harrison Cove (which has an underwater observatory)

Harrison Cove (See the "Titanic Style" Honeymoon Couple LOL)

Milford Sound Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory 

After a halt at the Milford Sound Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory – the boat turned around at the end of the cove – and we made our way to the east – past Cemetery Point – towards the Freshwater Basin – while enjoying the stunning evening view – with the sun behind the mountains of the awesome Milford Sound from the aft of the top deck of the boat. 

Soon we were back at the Milford Sound Cruise Wharf to disembark from the boat and board our bus for our return journey via Homer Tunnel and Te Anau to Queenstown.

Dear Reader: 

I had planned to write this travelogue in one go. 

But – as you can see – it is became too long. 

So – I wrote PART 1 pertaining to the road journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound yesterday 

And – I wrote PART 2 pertaining to the awesome Cruise in Milford Sound today.

I have written this travelogue based on my own personal experience during my visit to Milford Sound on 27 December 2015 – of course – I have referred to Visitor Guides and Tourism Sites for cross-checking and background information. 

However – all the photographs in the travelogue have been clicked by me on my smartphone.

VIKRAM KARVE

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This Blog Post is a combination of my blog posts on MILFORD SOUND posted by me online earlier at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/02/milford-sound-is-awesome-travelogue.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/02/milford-sound-scenic-cruise.html