Intrigued by the pictures of Milford Sound that haunted us from tourist guidebooks and postcards, we set out to discover New Zealand’s most famous fjord on our own. The Milford Road, probably one of the most spectacular highways I ever drove on and which leads — as the name suggests — to the sound, invited us to stop at many sites to absorb the beauty of nature. Once arrived at Milford Sound, a two-hour cruise took us through the fjord and out to the open sea. The crisp air, the morning sun and the misty clouds hanging in the green mountains composed a serenity that brought deep pleasure to my heart. The pictures only convey a small impression of the whole scenery, but being there, living it, proved me once again how precious traveling is, allowing you to feel those places.

As if this would not have been enough to meditate upon for one day, we set out for a half-day tramp (as they call hiking here in Kiwi-land) up to Gertrude Saddle, hoping to get a great view from the top. What a good feeling to be out again on our own two feet, walking through grass, hopping over streams and climbing up rocks! Although the weather proved to be very changeable, the ever-moving clouds allowed us some spectacular glimpses over the Fiordland National Park and its beautiful beech tree forests. And, we encountered some locals!