cloud on the “Sun Princess”
by guest travel writer George Kimpton
can’t help but be impressed by the massive craggy mountains tumbling down to the water in this sound and the others that follow. You look up at the craggy tops of the mountains thrusting into the clouds and feel a sense of awe and it is easy to believe that no man has ever set foot on them let alone climbed them. It would, in a sense, be like climbing Everest.
Moving on for the rest of the morning we spend time in three other sounds, Breaksea, Doubtful and
Thompson
example of old world charm with tiled fl oors and balconies. Another must is the Castle for a memorable dinner with the Haggis ceremony in true Scottish tradition. The Taieri Gorge Train called strongest and to step aboard the train is step back in time again. You are made feel very special by the volunteer crew that run it. You even get wine with your lunch.
To enter the train is to step back in time to another era with its beautifully upholstered seats but the real treat is
March 2011
the craggy and exquisitely beautiful mountains that create a fantastic backdrop to pale blue rivers that wander through the countryside. No words here can describe the beauty of the scenery. It has a well earned reputation.
Next comes Port Chalmers and Dunedin.
Again a
proliferation of trips to choose from. Dunedin has much to offer. It is very picturesque with its old buildings of which the Railway Station is perhaps the most famous. An exquisite
It is almost impossible to describe the spectacular beauty of the Gorge as the train travels through it. I for one couldn’t sit still and continually felt the urge to use my video camera in an futile attempt to capture the magnifi cent scenery. It is totally rugged with the train track clinging precariously to the mountain sides. You can’t help but wonder at the courage of the men that built this track. Both ends of NZ have places of exquisite beauty as with the Bay of Islands but after leaving Dunedin you enter “sounds” country, or in reality the Fiords, for these are true Fiords according to experts. We enter Dusky Sound and in spite of the lousy weather, you
Sounds. They are all as magic and awe inspiring even with the clouds closing off the tops of these mountains leaving them with an air of mystery. Finally the one place that we had waited for, Milford Sound, and would you believe, the clouds disappeared and the sun shone through. A beautiful clear day.
I am at a loss for the right words to describe the majesty and beauty of this place. The mountains rear up out of a blue green sea with unbelievable waterfalls cascading down their sides. They seem to go on forever piercing the sky with craggy sides smothered in green shrubs and trees clinging to their surface with sheer faces of rock in unimaginable shapes.
It is a place of awe and you feel so insignifi cant as nature overpowers your mind. It is a God given place so don’t miss it if you have the chance. Coming down to earth we head back home on a ship that I would not recommend. Yes, they provided all your basic needs but there was not the holiday spirit that I have experienced with other cruise ships and the hand was always in the pocket, in a manner of speaking.. But what ever you do, see New Zealand one way or another. It is a beautiful, friendly and magic place and I have fond memories of it and its people.
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