The history of Gunn's Camp is fascinating. The Gunn family has resided in desolate Hollyford Valley for nearly a century. The collection of tools, images, maps and machinery in the on-site museum depict the struggles of the main through-fare that was built through the dense forest to provide road access from Te Anau to the South and Milford Sound to the West. Prior to the installation of the road and Homer Tunnel, Milford Sound was only accessible via a lengthy boat ride. The quirky cartoons and phrases posted around the camp showed that creativity and comedy are needed to survive in this remote area of the island.
Our cabin, number 6, was right along the Hollyford River and was a very simple, two bedroom cabin with entrance to the dining room. Within the dining room was a wood/coal burning stove which was quickly fired up to warm our cold/wet bones and dry out some of our gear. The rest of the afternoon was a wash and with literally nothing else in the area, we decided to recuperate from the hike and spend the night by the fire. Seeing as how we were all pretty smelly after three days of hiking, everyone took the time to grab a shower from the camp facilities which were heated by a central wood burning heater. They had a very unique and independent setup which also included generator power from 6-10pm. After that, lights out.
In the morning, we pack up gear and headed out of camp relatively early. The next destination was Milford Sound which was approximately one hour to the West. As soon as we neared the Sound via the Homer Tunnel, the traffic began to build up. We ended up having to park in an overflow lot and take the shuttle over to the docks. We had a short wait in the terminal before our RealJourneys trip started. The boat pulled up and passengers began to load up. The boat was maybe 30% full which was nice for moving around and not having an overcrowded and noisy ride. Rain continued intermittently throughout the cruise but according to the captain, the falls were far less impressive a few days prior when the rain had yet to come. The increase in rain fall provided our tour that day with a beautiful hazy ride around the Sound to see the hundreds of falls cascading off the cliffs.
After the cruise, we drove down to Te Anau which was a bit of a haul and left the group really hangry. The town center offered many options for food but we decided to get our mutton on with some personal pot pies from Miles Better Pies. They were delicious. Our accommodations had us staying at the Fiordlands Great Views Holiday Park. The well kept grounds hosted a varied garden of roses and other exotic plants. The reception however wasnt as nice. The woman tending desk was very short with us and felt it wasnt her job to tell people how the internet worked or about the extra charges for gate key and every other little thing on the lot. Oh, you want to use the laundry (cha-ching), how about the sauna room (cha-ching), the grill? (cha-ching), the kitchen (cha-ching) everything came with its cost here. The main miff was when we paid the 2NZ to use the propane grill. The chicken was half way done when a small grease fire came up. The woman from reception came out, she was obviously watching from afar, and told us she had to shut the grill down because of the small fire. We cooled the chicken for as long as the grill stayed warm but she turned off the gas and ferociously locked it down. Very uncalled for and unprofessional. Thank god we only had one night to spend here.
Our next leg of the journey took us east through Queenstown once more and on to Mt. Cook, the highest peak in NZ. Most of this day was spent driving with small breaks for photo ops and eating. By mid afternoon, the team had reached the youth hostel and unloaded the car once more. We checked into our 8 person bedroom and was able to claim the beds of our linking since we were one of the firsts in. Dinner was whipped up and just before we ate, a beautiful rainbow was cast over the mountains from all the rain that day.
In the evening, we opted to go to the local museum which pays homage to Sir Edmund Hillary. They also had a theater which played multiple movies throughout the day; we watched the one about the strange and unique birds of New Zealand and their ancestral links to Australia. Back at the hostel, we spent time getting caught up on web surfing since we now had UNLIMITED ACCESS!!! All prior places gave out paper cards which provided the user with a code to redeem a small-nominal amount of internet for the day. I wish we had more time to spend here since we really didn't get to do any of the hiking due to inclement weather once again. Maybe next time. We did however have a break in the weather to visit a Lavender field which was on the long road to Mt. Cook
The trip from Mt. Cook to our accommodations in Akaroa was another long drive split between the group; at the end of the day though, everyone voted yours truly as driver superior on the twisty and tight NZ roads. That afternoon and evening, we explored the small French town of Akaroa. As a sort-of engagement dinner, our fathers decided to treat us to some fancy cuisine at The Trading Rooms in town. The menu appealed to most and even though the service was polite and well intention, the speed of service was horrible. The wine took 45 minutes from bar to table and the food, another hour and a half. In total, it was way too long for a meal and left me sour about the experience.The next day, we did a fish and chips for four people and included sausage, chicken, shrimp, fish and all you can eat fries all served hot in 5 minutes.
While in Akaroa, plans were loose and everyone was on board to try and go kyacking but by the time we reached the vendor, everyone backed out due to wind and cost per hour. Instead, we walked to the lighthouse up the road which was relocated from its original construction on the coast. Then, we followed a walk through the local park and found some really old trees. The road took us back to town where dinner materials were procured at the local butcher and foursquare. That night was bittersweet because it marked the last night in NZ for the Glasers. Our bags were packed and we were all ready to hit the road back the Christchurch and then the airport.
On the morning of February 20th, the Fulton family was dropped off at their accommodations for the night (oddly enough, the same Old Country Backpackers from Part 1) and Glaser crew drove to the airport. Bags checked in for the first flight. Then on to the second much longer flight (12hr AUK to LAX) and finally a short skip to Phoenix to see my brother and Dylan for an evening. While in Phoenix, we met with my mother who was staying with brother. She flew with us the next morning back to Newark NJ where the weather was cold and sleeting. I already missed New Zealand and wish I could have stayed longer.
Any who, that's about the jist of it. We had a wonderful time with no major issues to speak of. The plans were flimsy at the start but by and by, we pulled the trip together and had a grand ol time doing it. It was very fun and will obviously be a trip to never forget! Thanks for reading and keep on following our journey as we embark on a cross country US trip starting very soon!
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