Feb 18.

We wake up early to watch the sunrise, which turned out not to be so great, since we were down in a slight canyon. Then we ate breakfast on the ship, as we motored out to the Tasman sea. They raise the sails on the ship once we were out at sea, which didn't seem to do very much and were mostly for show. Then we turn back around and head into the sound.



Motoring back in to the sound we see a few dusky dolphin riding our bow, and a couple of fur seals lazing on the rocks.





We get back to the wharf, exchange email addresses with our new friends and say goodbye. The bus we have scheduled to take us back to Queenstown is supposed to leave a 2:30pm, and it is 9:30am. There is not much to do at Milford with the exception of the cafe and the cruises, so we check to see if we can catch an earlier bus.




The 9:30am bus to Queenstown has plenty of room so we hop on. As we pass Milford lodge, we stop to pick up some more passengers, which turn out to be the couple from San Francisco we saw the morning before hurrying to meet their bus. We talk with them almost the entire way back to Queenstown. They are taking a year off and traveling the world. they both worked in the software industry before they left, he mountain bikes and used to climb, so we had plenty to talk about.


We get back to Queenstown at 2:30pm and catch a city bus back to the Hotel. When we check in the lady at the front desk remembered our names from checking in 4 days prior, checks us in and brings our bags up to our room for us. I went out to the car to get Katie's jeans for her which were set out to dry while we were on the Routeburn. It's always a little relief to find all of the stuff I have left behind is all present and accounted for when I return from a little excursion. The room is very nice, on the top floor and is a 2 level room with a living room and kitchen, and 2 bedrooms upstairs. We take showers and a quick nap, and then plan the final week of our trip. We decide on 2 longish travel days with activities in between them and book our lodging at Rotorua, Christchurch, and an additional day in Kaikoura. We book our 2nd attempt at a white island tour for the day before we fly home.

We walk down into Queenstown, which is a beautiful little city by the lake with the Remarkables rising out from the shores of lake Wakatipu. While in the city we run into the German guy we met along the Routeburn, he was planning to do the other portion of the Routeburn that he didn't do for the next day. We eat dinner, eat ice cream, have a drink, and then walk back to the hotel to turn in for the night.