Spontaneity in Southland

We have learned an abiding truth about Fiordland: the weather will be atrocious on the days you plan to be outdoors. We made it out to Milford Sound in the rain and fog, which actually made for some stunningly beautiful waterfalls.

But our highly anticipated overnight cruise to Doubtful Sound was canceled at the last minute because of unfavorable weather conditions. True to form, we had meticulously researched and planned this Doubtful Sound cruise to take into account Won’s dislike of crowds and my tendency to get seasick. We went with a very small vessel (12 people total), and really looked forward to being out in an isolated fjord, just us and the stars and the fish we would catch for dinner. A pox on New Zealand weather! I spent hours fuming about the unfairness of the weather, and the regret of not going with a bigger company with more than one boat. Before I could get too far down the rabbit hole though, I was reminded that regret is a foolish and wasteful thing. It’s in my DNA to think of the “what ifs” and “if onlys.” The older I get though, the better I am about letting things go. No FOMO has become my rallying slogan.

Won cupped my chin in his hands, and promised that we would have a fabulous time doing something else. For once, we would be spontaneous. So we got in the rental car, and drove in the direction of Dunedin. The rain cleared as we drove, and by the time we arrived that afternoon, weather conditions were perfect for seeing the royal albatrosses soar in the wind. Dunedin has the world’s only mainland royal albatross colony. I’m not a bird lover, but watching these majestic creatures fly made my spirit soar too.

That night, we saw the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere from our balcony.

The next day, the weather was picture perfect (go figure), and we took the scenic route back to Te Anau, then Queenstown. We pulled off the road for short hikes whenever we felt like it, and had Bluff oysters on a whim for lunch.

We even stopped at a Lord of the Rings filming location so I could scamper around pretending to be a hobbit (this is the setting of Ithilien, where Frodo and Sam and Gollum meet Faramir!).

The view from every lookout point was more jaw-droppingly beautiful than the last.

Back in Queenstown tonight. Had a famous Fergburger burger, and then tramped up the Queenstown Hill for a final gorgeous view of New Zealand.

Our flight leaves tomorrow morning. This has been truly an epic and wonderful journey. At 17, I dreamt of coming to Middle Earth, by myself, and on a shoestring budget. At 25, I still couldn’t afford the plane ticket. At 33, I didn’t have the time. I’ve now spent a month exploring from the tip of the North Island to the bottom of the South, sharing every adventure with Won, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

March 29, 2018