WatchinABitOTheatreNStuff: Day 16

What a miserable morning - and even more so with a 6am wake up. We began our drive past the mountains known as the Remarkables. The cloud was low and most rolling in bed thicker. We can barely make out the bases of some of the mountains, let alone the peaks. For a day where we're supposed to see some amazing scenery, I really hope the mist lifts! It's known for raining, it rains 200+days a year but the mist is just irritating.

We took a break for breakfast at Te Anau (after a 2hr drive) which has a lake with a coastline of 300km, the longest lake coastline in NZ and the biggest lake in South Island. Of course, Lake Taupo of the North definitely puts it to shame. We treated ourselves to one of mike's pies - oh my god the steak and cheese!

Then we continued on our path, passing the halfway point between the equator and South Pole. We drove down highway 94, which took 50yrs to build. A farmer needed access to his cattle and began building. Twenty years later the government took over the farmers brand new driveway and continued building it into a highway to Milford.

You used to only be able to access Milford Sound by water. When the sealing business was big, people would sell the fur and blubber whilst passing to Milford Sound. Finally, someone found a way into Milford Sound by land - by a four day hike and a lot of hills. So we'll stick to the water I think.

We past Lake Gunn, discovered by Sam Gunn, a farmer who drove his cattle over the hills and found the lake. His grandson Davey Gunn made the area more famous by witnessing a plane crash-land and trekking 90km to find help for their rescue. Three out of the four passengers survived.

William Homer put in a road through the mountain to the Sound, an avalanche destroyed the entrance so it's now shorter than it used to be - which filled us with confidence as we drove over the divide. A few nice waterfalls by the entrance though to take our minds off it - but still really misty so we can't really see above 30m.

We crossed through the tunnel and into the sounds, named by a Welshman as Milford Haven after his home port. It was then changed to 'sound' as it means a river carved gorge. That's wrong too though as actually they are fjords, but it's to late to change now everyone knows it.

And so we stopped briefly at the chasm before carrying on through to the sound, where we found some more of those characteristic giant ferns.

We got a brief let up in the clouds but not for long enough to really appreciate the view. It was a bit disappointing really. We drove for 4hrs there and 4hrs back to see A LOT of mist! Although we did at least spot some seals and saw some rather beautiful waterfalls..even if it was absolutely freezing cold.