Fairy forest

New day, old picture. New Zealand once again shows itself from its most beautiful side. After replenishing our supplies at the supermarket, we drive from Queenstown towards Milford Sound. The diverse landscape continues and we reach Te Anau. We refuel in the small town, which is the last settlement before the sound, and take the Milford Road. It is the only road that stretches through the vastness of Fiordland and makes the journey, just under 2 hours (120km), one of the most beautiful roads in New Zealand.

Since we have been traveling for several hours under a bright blue sky and corresponding outside temperature, we decide to look for a suitable spot for a picnic. The search doesn't take long. A small gravel path leads from the highway to a small stream. The mountains in the background, a little bench, and green trees and meadows complete the perfect picture. Quickly grabbed bread, tomato, avocado from the trunk, and cream cheese from the small refrigerator. This is how you imagine a vacation.

Too beautiful a picture. Because out of nowhere, we meet some of the most dangerous creatures under the New Zealand sun. Sandflies infest our legs and shake the idyllic picture, which existed just seconds before. But as if that wasn't bad enough, a bloodthirsty bird appears, apparently targeting our avocado sandwich. In its frenzy, it looks as if the palm-sized bird will not shy away from a confrontation. Now everything happens quickly: Rebecca packs up the food while I try to divert the monster's attention from our sandwich with a flip flop. After a tense minute, finally the relief: we AND our avocado sandwich have survived the threat.

After this shock, we drive for another hour before looking for a campsite. We choose the "Cascade Creek", which not only lies in a picturesque landscape but is also the starting point for a short hike. When we are on this hike a little later, we agree that this will remain an absolute highlight of the South Island of New Zealand for us. The path is in the forest. But as soon as you enter this forest, you have the feeling that both the Brothers Grimm and the film crew of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy must have known this place. Moss-covered, huge, gnarled trees breaking through the low sun. Madness. We find a surprise at an advanced stage of the trail. After a bend, you suddenly find yourself no longer in the forest but unexpectedly in the middle of a lake with a view of the mountains. Simply beautiful.

After these impressions and a few homemade vegetable wraps, we go to sleep. We found a good deal for a boat tour on the Milford Sound on the internet for the next morning. So, it's time to get up early.