New Zealand circuit - Te Anau Bird Sanctuary - Day 15 - The 13th of March 2019 (afternoon and evening)

 

Some of us visited the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary, where birds which have either been injured and thus being reahabilitated to be later released into the wild are kept, as well as those which are unable to survive in the wild on their own. The importance of this visit, apart from being able to donate so as to help the sanctuary which provides free entrance visits, was having access to some facts about birds which are not only unique but difficult to observe in the wild.

 

I was particularly impressed with the birdless takahe, whose looks are strange and rather intriguing.

 

 

 

We were shown other bird residents such as the ruru and the kaka, though taking their photos proved to be very difficult.

 

 

 

As we reached the town centre to do our final shopping I noticed a takahe statue, which I hadn't seen before. Dinner was as expected in the well known little restaurant squeezed among a few shops, where food was second to none. 

 

New Zealand circuit - Fiordland National Park - Mirror Lakes, Cleddau Valley and Milford Sound - Day 15 - The 13th of March 2019 (morning and afternoon)

We were supposed to be exploring the Fiordland National Park and its multiple natural resources, but we were unfortunately confronted with a grayish rainy day, which didn't look promising. We headed to the Mirror Lakes, whose reflections were not visible due to the meteorological conditions. The reflections of the surrounding scenery which we were expected to seen were in no way visible. The only thing we could see were the actual rain drops falling on the water.

We further explored the rather unusual rock formations on the Cleddau Valley where the Cleddau river drops. I managed to see some birds and mamals, which added some charm to the inospitable area.

The boat trip on the 16 kilometre long fiord, the Milford Sound was done under strong rain and winds, thus not allowing us to take too many photos but I must confess it was nevertheless impressive, particularly when we passed the Bowen and the Stirling water falls. We saw no fur seals, dolphins and penguins on the way, as we were suposed to expect, but under the circumstances it wasn't surprising. 

 

New Zealand circuit - Queenstown; on the way to Te Anau - Day 14 - The 12th of March (afternoon and evening)

Once we finished the Ben Lomond track, we spent the afternoon strolling around the city, whilst doing some shopping. I took the opportunity of visiting St. Peters' church, which I had tried to go to before but couldn't because of being closed. I found its inside to be cozy and welcoming. I feel in such a bustling city as Queensland this rather small place could eventually be a reflective space.

 

 

By late afternoon we headed towards Te Anau, said to be the Fiordland National Park gateway. We were lodged at the Fiordland Hotel and Motel to soon be driven to the city centre, where we had a rather tasty meal at a local restaurant