Where Did The Time Go?

January 2nd-  The plan for the day was to go on a Lord of the Rings horseback riding tour in Glenorchy.  Our tour got canceled due to rain (much to Mom's disappointment since she really wanted to do a horse riding tour).  So instead we went on a 4X4 off roading tour that went to a few Lord of the Rings locations.  The tour was okay.  It didn't have much to do with Lord of the Rings but the off roading bits were fun and our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the area and how the landscape was formed.  She wasn't very knowledgeable about Lord of the Rings however.

Here was where they filmed for the pillars of the kings scene from the Fellowship of the Ring.  The fellowship paddled down this river and then they later added in the big statues on either side of the river. 

Here we have the Remarkable Mountains.  They were used in the background for a lot of the Rohan scenes.  The area that they filmed on though has been closed to the public for a few years now though so we didn't get to see that. 

Overall not a bad tour, just not great or fantastic like the others. 

The next day, January 3rd, we planned on catching a jet boat tour before leaving Queenstown and heading toward Milford Sound.  As it turns out, the rain struck again! The tour was delayed so we decided to pack up and head out to our next destination Te Anau.  Once we got there, we learned that there was a jet boat tour that operated in the area so we booked that and it (surprise) went to a few Lord of the Rings locations. The tour was fun (we love boats so we're biased) and did a few donuts but other than that it was a pretty mellow and fun ride up the river and to the lake. 

The birds were chasing a hawk out of their territory.  The tour guide said he had never seen them that riled up before. 

Here was where the filmed the canoeing down the river in the Fellowship of the Ring where the orcs are chasing them.  This part leads into the pillars of the kings part of the scene so obviously two very different rivers. 

Also we got our own personal tour since no one else felt like braving the rain.  It wasn't a downpour but more like a sprinkle. 

So, today we drove from Te Anau and headed up to Milford Sound to go on our cruise.  The weather was cooperating (for once) and due to the heavy rainfall in the past few days there were hundreds of waterfalls.  I won't upload all the pictures since there are so many but here's a few of the favorites. 

This would have been a great pictures if the damn tourists would have gotten out of the way.  I find myself disliking tourists when I'm trying to take pictures. 

Both of the pictures above were taken on the drive into Milford Sound.

This lovely picture was taken on the boat.  Photo Credit goes to Mom using my camera while I was getting us food. So proud. 

The above two pictures are ones that I took of the wind effecting the waterfalls.  In the bottom one, the wind was strong enough that the water never made it to the ground.  It simply drifted away. 

Last year on our trip to Australia, I got to swim with Australian fur seals and fell in love.  I think they are some of the cutest animals to inhabit our planet.  My love for them didn't change upon seeing them again.  These guys are New Zealand fur seals and they don't get much bigger than this.  So smaller than the Australian ones and we all know what that means...they will always be in the cute puppy stage. 

This last one was taken at a viewpoint on the way out.  The picture doesn't do the scenery justice.  It was spectacular.  

It's hard to believe that there's only five more days left on our trip.  I'm sure we will make the most of them.  Stay tuned for more.