Road trip to Milford Sound

So today was an incredible day. The alarm went off at 6 am, absolutely sinful. But here in Lumsden at this luxury campsite (free), there were proper toilets and even sinks. So I could start my day hygienically. This was truly the best campsite ever, there was a covered cooking area and washing up facilities, a shower opportunity, opposite a supermarket and library to charge my phone, and a possibility for showering in an abandoned swimming pool; it was as if the place was just for travelers. Anyway, back to the topic, first we drove in the dark to Te Anau to fuel up, because there’s nothing after that. The first stop was Lake Mistletoe. I tell you, I ran for my life to catch the sunrise there, and it was worth it. A beautiful lake, no one around. Then we continued to Mirror Lake and damn, it was better than I thought. The huge mountains reflected so beautifully in the water; it was truly impressive. Then we headed to the Marian Falls; after a short walk through the rainforest, I arrived, and that was absolutely amazing to see. You should know, (actually with everything I see here) that I have wanted to do all this for at least 7 years, and I've seen so many photos and videos, and now I’m actually here. The last stop was The Chasm, which unfortunately was almost closed; you couldn't go onto the bridge, just in front of it, but you could still see how deep the waterfall cuts through the rock and how it has shaped the stones. Oh, wait, before The Chasm, we of course went through the Homer Tunnel. Folks, that’s where I saw them, the waterfalls pouring down the massive mountains. I have never seen anything like that in real life. I thought I was on another planet. The mountains are so high, the mist, all the waterfalls. Did I cry because it was so beautiful? Yes, definitely. The final way to Milford continued just as spectacularly, through incredible nature, waterfalls. I actually got a parking spot at the Free parking lot around 10 am, so free of charge. From there, it was about a 30-minute walk to the ferry terminal. That’s where I saw a Weka for the first time and then many more after that. It’s also a flightless bird that you can often see during the day, unlike the kiwi. It was still super cool to see. Then it was a walk to the harbor, and on the way, I had more stunning views; I saw the biggest waterfall ever. Then it was just a quick wait for the ferry to depart before we went through the sound for 2 hours. I thought, oh dear, will this be worth it? Was it worth the money? It was so cloudy. Anyway, I had a nice seat, even though I knew I wouldn’t stay there long because I wanted to get out and see something. Two nice girls sat down next to me; first, they shared their snacks with me and later their fries, so sweet. I went outside, and yes, it was extremely foggy and cloudy. It rained, it was windy, and freezing cold. I saw that massive waterfall again. And I thought that was big. No, on the ride, I saw one massive waterfall after another. And the thing is, you thought, wow, big mountain and big waterfalls, but no, there was an even taller mountain behind the clouds, so high that you almost had to look straight up to see it, with countless waterfalls flowing down from it. I tell you, it was unbelievable; I couldn’t believe it. Never in my life have I seen anything like this. I thought I was in a movie. We got so close to some waterfalls; it was very impressive. It went all the way to the channel to the sea, where there were extreme waves, but I had toughened up from the ferries in Thailand and Indonesia. On the return trip, folks, the sun came out, the clouds cleared up; it was like a dream, everything looked painted. I can only say again, it was beautiful; I cried multiple times because it was so incredible; maybe that sounds ridiculous, but I can't define what an experience it was in any other way. Perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever been, and I’ve been to many by now. On the way back, I saw so many more waterfalls than on the way there because they were more visible. It looks like they are just coming from the sky and falling endlessly, about 1692 m to be exact, which is massive when you are at sea level. To make the day perfect, I saw 2 kea before the Homer Tunnel on the way back. I’m staying overnight at a camp in Fjordland and tomorrow I’m off to Te Anau to the Glowworm Caves. It was a perfect day