Day 2 (continued)

Pomplona Lodge (four hours away), was our evening destination. We rolled in at about four in the afternoon.



Gorgeous!



Lovely!



With about 9 meters of rain a year, erosion is a significant factor in the trails. This section will probably be washed away in the next few rains. The trail will then be re-routed a bit further from the river.



They had "long drop" toilets along the track. Unfortunately, the drop wasn't nearly long enough. :-P

Milford Trek day 2

We had a chilly start the next morning. The grass was covered with frost.



This was the first of many swing bridges along the route. (Amy: Don't look down. Tim: I'm looking down!)



This area is a rain forest, with towering trees everywhere.



Amy in front of the oldest tree on the trek, a red beech approximately 700 years old. Unfotunately, it won't be getting any older as it has passed on, and is now decaying.



The trail itself was smooth and level, making for easy walking. It didn't last.

Milford Track Day one (con't)

:-)

Arrival at the first night's lodge ...



A bush robin. They look for bugs disturbed by your foot scuffing up leaves ...



Nice views!



Weirdest of all--You can drink from streams here! Ahhhhh!

American English--Australasian Translations

American English – Australasian Translations

Yield = Give Way
Parking Lot = Car Park
DUI = Drink Driving (AU)
Body Shop = Smash Repair
Carpenter = Joiner
Diner = Brasserie (I perked up the first time I saw that, then looked closely at the spelling - Tim)
Rotary = Traffic Circles
Car Rentals = Car Hire
Sweat Pants = Track Suit Bottoms
Breakfast = Brekkie (AU) or Breaky (NZ)
Soccer = Footy (Football)
Cattle Guard (on the ground) = Cattle Stop
Cattle Guard (on a car) = Bull Bar
Napkin = Serviett
College/University = Uni
Journalist/Reporter = Journo
Salvation Army = Salvos
Cup of Tea = Cuppa
Counter-Clockwise = Anti-Clockwise
Layaway = Lay by
Rumble Strips = Judder Bars
Vehicle Inspection = WOF (Warranty of Fitness)
Thank you = Cheers
You’re Welcome = No worries

More philisophical ramblings to come ...

Tramping the Milford Track

(Click on any picture to enlarge)

In New Zealand, it's not "hiking," it's "tramping." Despite my misgivings about our reputations, Amy and I decided that going "tramping" was a good thing.

The night before we left, a friend came to visit our hostel room ...



The scenery as you drive from Queenstown to Te Anau (starting point for the trek) is breathtaking ...



We went for a chilly boat ride to the trailhead ...



Those mountains look awful cold!



Guess who likes boat rides???



We disembarked and started the twenty-minute walk to the first lodge, the Glade House ...