“No matter how many photos you’ve seen of Milford Sound, nothing can prepare you for the incredible feeling of actually being there. It is an inspiring and exceptional place.” (Real Journeys brochure)
Disclaimer #1: The following is based on my own experience, and should not be considered medical advice.
Disclaimer #2: I am not being paid to promote any of these products.
Along the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island, with the Southern Alps to the east and the Tasman Sea to the west, we traveled south toward Hokitika for a night’s stay.
Although most of my travel posts talk about wheelchair accessibility, today’s post does not.
Unfortunately, my cruise-and-walk excursion to Abel Tasman National Park did not appear to be accessible, and an inquiry to Wilsons (the company that provided the tour) confirms the inaccessibility:
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013
As we entered Queen Charlotte Sound (from the wider expanse of Cook Strait, after leaving Wellington), I was standing as close to the bow of the ship as I could get. There were probably 20 or 30 people standing out there, and it was quiet. It was as though we were greeting the South Island with reverence and awe.
There are many reasons to love New Zealand’s capital city:
Its beautiful waterfront,
I am not a devotee of the LOTR trilogy. In fact, the movies put me to sleep.
However, I have been to Middle Earth (aka New Zealand), and I fell in love with that beautiful country.
Today, September 22nd, is the birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. In their honor, I share the following …
I am always filled with awe when I look up into a night sky filled with stars.
I live in a city, and my nighttime view is usually illuminated by the lights of civilization rather than by the stars. On those infrequent occasions when I am in a position to stargaze I can usually find a few familiar astral landmarks: The North Star, The Big Dipper, and Orion’s Belt.
So during my travels in New Zealand I was eager to see stars I had never seen before, those of the Southern Hemisphere.
“If there’s anyplace on Earth more beautiful than Doubtful Sound I have not seen it or heard about it. Easily more beautiful than the fjords of Norway or (the old) Yugoslavia. Majestic, spectacular, immense, deserted, magnificent: Words cannot capture it. Two days and a night here, aboard the Fiordland Navigator. We are blessed with clear skies, sunshine and warmth.” Richard Hess (3-31-03)
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, is known for many things: Wines, produce, beaches, the annual Art Deco festival in Napier.
Perhaps not as well-known is Cape Kidnappers on the southern part of the Bay.
Anything Is Possible Travel 