After those adventurous moments at Shotover river jet, we were on the road for another long journey which clocked 200 Kms. It was supposed to be less than 2 hours and thirty minutes. But the rain and other drivers made it longer to me.
Drive towards Te Anau is quite peaceful drive. Lake Wakatipu accompanies happily until a town called Kingston (Kingston-Garston highway). This drive passes through Fairlight, Garston, Nokomai, Athol, parawa, Mossburn and finally Te Anau.
What makes this trip interesting is what has happened. 😛
After Kingston, the drive gets bit monotonous as the meadows after meadows and lush green plains after one another. Herds of sheep can be seen everywhere. We are slowly accustomed to such views by this time. So New Zealand’s beauty to be seen fresh to the eyes, fly to Queenstown and start exploring.. 😉
This is the only part of the entire journey I felt road can be seen with cars and motor homes. As most of the people do Milford sounds in single day starting from Queenstown. However, we were not competing with their morning timings. Still people who might stay in Te Anau were driving. I somehow wanted to reach there quickly and wanted to stretch my legs for a while before I head on to Glow Warm caves in Te Anau. I was able to overtake most of the cars and steadily driving at 120. That might sounds high in numbers, but for their roads, its like cool slow ride. One heady girl was driving a Volkswagen version ahead of us in a hatchback and she was easily hitting 140 and maintained there for quite a long time. My sedan is no lesser with its power. I was kind of tail gating her as it was easy to me to just to follow her to overtake some other cars. Otherwise, it was quite boring to look for the timing. It was kind of cool and it added more cautious-feeling for the driving. Yes – my wife was in one of regular naps as usual. I kind of liked the way the gal drove that car. She looked a European to me. I bet she would have sensed the my tailgating . She increased her throttle and it went on for a while. Just before nearing we had no competitors on the road. Road was dull and sleepy and the weather had serious plans for rain and was testing with drizzles.
When it was about 2 KMs to read Te Anau, it was a straight stretch and on the right hand side, off the road have seen the siren fitted car. It took 2 seconds to recognize that police patrol car but it was too late to slow down my car back to slower speeds. In a Jiffy, we passed that police car. Am pretty sure the one who drove that VW car recognized and slowed down to 80s. I was already slowing down at that second. Before my heart started to race, I looked at the rear mirror and found exactly what I shouldn’t be seeing. That police patrol car took a U turn and started to follow us in the fierce manner with sirens on. I was totally scared and that’s the last thing I want to face in my vacation. Patrol car closed the gap in no time. I looked at the rear view mirror again. The cop looked at me clearly and made sign to pullover the car. By this time she was out of her disturbed nap and was puzzled at my pale face. I slowed down my car further and prepared my mind to handle that situation. I bet god was with our side or some scientific reason – that police car passed us and pulled that VW and promptly off the road to deal it. I was bit puzzled and not sure whether I should wait or not. Slowly I drove and after pulled over, I overtook them and glided smoothly away from them. That’s a biggest relief for me. When my mind calmed down, I thought about it. Am sure their machine would have caught the speed of that car not mine. So obviously they couldn’t hold me.
Shortly, we found ourselves in the Kingsgate Hotel where I had my reservations. We had little time to refresh ourselves and went to explore the little Te Anau town.
These towns are planned, built and maintained. As there are no reason for a burst in population, this place is soothing and relaxing. These places on earth are still very young as they never had to pass through the evolutions of earth.
Te Anau means Place of – Cave of the swirling water current. I had no why about that until I saw the Glow Warm caves. Lake Te Anau covers around 136 square miles. Major contributor is Eglinton river. Notorins – a bird species calls it a home, but we saw none except a magnified ugly looking statue. They could have done better work there. ;-0 No offense.
We were hungry. Lessons to be learnt before visiting these sleepy little towns are, 1) food will be served only appropriate times, 2) don’t expect them to keep it open after 8pm. I had to drive twice or thrice of those blocks in the center of the town just to realize most of them were closed. To our luck, The Ranch with ranch style was open. Well – if you are going to Te Anau, please do eat there! Else you are missing some experience. Options are exactly like what you would get at a ranch but cooked to perfection by all means. And the waiter was very professional and behaved like a one who worked at a fine dining restaurant. I was surprised to receive that kind of service at that little town. That’s what I call service and that’s what I call work ethics. A lot to be learnt there. 😉
Shortly after our late lunch, it was our plan to view the Fiordland on Film – yes, that little town has a cinema that plays a lovely movie. I didn’t believe until I watched. After that lovely lunch, it was bit heavy to sit at a most comfy place. 😛
SHADOWLAND (ATA WHENUA) – the movie.
This movie is bit mysterious, evocative, exhilarating and utterly spectacular. My version is “Just too good”. This movie talks about the origins of Rocks and Ice, water falls, granite formation, early pathways, the bird species of Kakapo, takahe, Kea and bit about the settlements.
This movie has great opening with extra-ordinary sound and sings lullaby as it progresses. Or I felt that way. I slept for good 10 minutes. That’s to that long journey. I cursed myself. I have bought the DVD just to recoup what I missed. I wish I can upload it here, but it has copyright infringements. I don’t want to get into legal disputes. 😛
Glow worm tour
In 1948, they have rediscovered glow worm caves after understanding the meaning of Te Anau. Lake Te Anau has a maori myth. Lake Te Anau is the New Zealand’s second largest lake. According to maori legend this large body of water was created by an unfaithful wife’s deception. The maori chief Te Horo discovered a scared spring and asked his wife not to reveal its existence. However, when he departed on a journey, she showed it to her lover. As soon as the lover’s face was reflected in the water, a raging torrent burst out, drowning the village and forming Lake Te Anau.
In the mid 20th century, the Te Anau glowworm caves were known only as a place of legend. Maori folklore told of a cave filled with swirling water. Early European explorers also spoke of underground caves. However, over time, the caves location became lost in history. Local Te Anau tour operator Lawson Burrows was so intrigued by the tales that he spent three years searching for the legendary spring. In 1948, he found a stream gushing out of the hills along the edge of Lake Te Anau. He slipped into the cold water, squeezed through the rocky entrance and surfaced in a dark cave. Above his head, he was stunned to see thousands of glittering glowworms.
Real Journey’s offer a spectacular themed ride to the cave and provides extra-ordinary experience. We will be picked at the Lake Te Anau Real Journeys (also i-Site) centre. This part of the earth is kind of melodramatic I should say. It has its own moods and few times mixed ones like the day we went. We had patches of good sky blue weather and just meters away, we had darkest ash colour clouds. It was a windy, cold journey. We have the options to stay under covered area or on open top. I went to the tops only to get some photos. We had a big beautiful rainbow. Generally we have seen a curve of rainbow. But here, a exact half circle was feasting our eyes. It was big, bold and crisp with colours.
Real Journey is the only tour operator that has access to this site. It’s a isolated haunted place on earth. But the make is lively with their building and staffs. We were welcomed and teamed up. This is the second place (after Swiss) I was wondering what has engineering given to this world. Here, they carved the hill, connected to a fall, created a micro dam. Hats off to you engineers (am one too..). 😉
This area is four-level limestone labyrinth known as the Aurora caves system. The caves are about 12000 years old which is young in geological terms. But the limestone they carve through is ancient almost 35 million years old. Unlike many dry cave systems, the Te Anau Glowworm caves are still increasing in size. The tunnel burn river that flows through the caves is mildly acidic which helps the water dissolve the rock and create passages. This acidity is produced from carbon dioxide which orginates from the humus – forest floor- high above the caves.
Entrance to the caves is low, but quickly opens up into the 20 m high. This place is called cathedral. At the end of cathedral we have a noisy waterfall. All the way we can notice the human engineering along with larvae. Everywhere, we could also see the fossilised shell fragments and marine skeletons in the limestone walls if observed at nose-touch level. After the waterfall, a whirlpool and natural sandstone bridge are good examples of how the water wears away at the old limestone.
At the end of the walking, we will be boarding a small boat. This is where it gets complete dark. We will be slowly glided towards the central place where the cave is full of glowworms. They look small bright glowing beautifully. Best part to know is the more hungrier they are, the more brightly it glows. Hmmm…
Later at the reception, we were given coffee/tea which was really we were in need of. However, the quality is not that good – am not complaining. That’s the best they could do at that place.
An interesting DVD was played for us which briefs us about the history of that place and more about glowworms. Its sad to know that they eat each other when food is scarce.
Later, we had some quite time there until our boat came. We sat in that one of the lonely places on earth and watched waves. Return journey was quite.
We picked some fruits from the supermarket and had our dinner at one of the Italian looking restaurant. Pizzas tastes great and even they allowed me to customize that. Thanks dears!.
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