Singing in the rain, sweating in the sun

I went tramping on the Routeburn track. I can understand why they call it a great walk: there was such diversity on the track!

I've never left in such a hurry. When I went to the DOC Visitor Centre on Thursday morning, they told me the best weather would be that day and the next, and that there was a bus leaving in 1.5 hours. I left in a hurry, but still managed to pack everything I needed, including matches which a surprising number of people didn't have, and nothing extra, including togs (Kiwi for swimming gear) which I got to use in alpine Lake MacKenzie. How refreshing! When I emerged from the first 8-second dip, I felt warm. After the second dip I thought my chest was freezing, let alone my wet hair.

[Notice the colour coding - completely unintentional!]
This is me and my Canadian tramping buddy (met on the bus) on Conical Hill. The slope was partly frozen and getting up and down was careful work. But we were rewarded with 360 degree views of the surrounding snowcapped mountains - and a glimpse of the West Coast! We had the perfect day for this, a completely cloudless sky.

To my great disappointment we didn't see a kea in this alpine section. I would have wanted to see the world's only alpine parrot.

On this section of the track I was half expecting Treebeard to stride through the trees. Or the trees to start talking about the consistency of squirrel droppings. And then I thought maybe Rölli would come skipping along the track. My favourite part. The guide at the hut that night told us that this is a 'cloud forest'; that's why the moss grows so well. It can take moisture straight from the air.

Then we went to Milford Sound. It rained. It was brilliant. The boat sailed straight into a white mist. The cliffs of the fiord were alive with waterfalls. For most of the time I stood outside with an Englishman I'd met on the bus (oh, did I tell you that I also travelled for a while with a German guy I met on a bus? :D), admiring the wetness. My camera still works, well done Canon!
We sailed into spray off a giant waterfall and all the Japanese girls screamed and got thoroughly soaked. I closed my eyes but opened my mouth for a drink and although I came through dripping, I was dry inside. Halti is the best :)

We also saw young New Zealand fur seals, lazily enjoying the attention on Seal Rock. How cute! Almost as cute as kiwis.