Jan
9
Cruising to Lake Ohau
Filed under Australia/New Zealand 2009-2010
On the road from Lake Ohau to Christchurch
January 8, 2010
8:04am
I am sooo tired. Last night was our last as a full group, and many of us stayed up pretty late. After dinner at our accommodations by the shore of Lake Ohau (OH-how), I played some pool with Joanne then Fredrik. Then I taught Henrik how to play gin rummy after which I received a “Swedish” massage (he’s a Swede, so it’s appropriate I use that adjective). I finally went to bed at 12:45am. And of course breakfast was served bright and early at 7am.
Today, we’re driving north back to our journey’s beginning in Christchurch. Joanne snagged the front seat of the bus, right behind Craig, so we have an excellent view out the front. The Southern Alps are flanking our left, and they’re extra magical because their tops got dusted with snow last night. We’re hoping to get a view of Mt. Cook, N.Z’s tallest peak.
Yesterday, we had a long drive from Milford Sound to Lake Ohau. I slept well on the boat, as I always tend to do while at sea. We were woken up by a soundtrack of alarm clocks, roosters, and other wakeful sounds. And if that didn’t get anyone up, they started the motor soon after which could easily be heard and felt below deck.
We motored out to the Tasman Sea which required the use of strong sea legs at times. When it started to rain, I went and sat back inside and enjoyed the view along with some hot tea. A few things were pointed out to us including a crack in the mountains at the fault line between two tectonic plates. During our journey back through the fjord from the sea, I could only imagine what it would have been like for the first explorers to make their way inland through such a majestic place. After we disembarked, we retraced our steps back through and out of Fiordland National Park were once again treated to spectacular views.
Since we had a lot of time to kill on the bus, Craig put on a movie to keep us entertained. It’s only appropriate for a bus driver to pop in a DVD of “Speed.” The unfortunate thing, though, is that the DVD player was acting up, so from time to time the movie stopped, usually at critical moments in the plot that had the bus in an uproar. In the afternoon, we stopped at Mrs. Jones’ fruit stand, a farm that grows many fruits and imports others, then sells a variety. The place is an adult’s candy store–cherries, plums, peaches, apples, kiwis (green and golden), apples, nectarines, etc. Plus, you could grab bags of dried or chocolate-covered fruit, honey made from the manuka plant (a beautiful evergreen-like tree that produces tiny white flowers making it look like it’s dusted in snow), and jams.
I was glad to reach our final destination that afternoon. I am definitely sick, although I’ve been able to keep it just to a stuffy nose and occasional cough. A hot shower helped. Right now I could do with a nap though.
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