Salt clung to the air, as wind nestled its way between strands of my hair. The wind created music, and we set sail into the unknown.
To venture, at sea, the sun shining it’s bliss, a rare occurrence in these parts. The brochure soon came to life as we sailed the crystal blue waters.
Three hours from the popular adventure hub, Queenstown, through rolling hills, speckled with sheep and fauna lush as green will turn, jostled the bus. Our necks snapped in awe at the beauty outside the spotty windows, and we hadn’t even hit 8 am yet.
Sunrise over The Remarkables was incredible that day, the pink seeping into every nook of the jagged mountain peaks.
Many had suggested Doubtful Sound over Milford Sound and it did not disappoint.
Two buses and two boat rides later, I held a memory stick overburdened with images itching to be edited. The journey didn’t seem real until we landed ashore and drove back to Queenstown with happy hearts, eyes satisfied and salt still clinging to our attire.
Was it the numerous waterfalls that popped out of nowhere, the sun bathing seals, the many mountains that sat at the sea towering over our wee boat, or the combination of scenery, smell and wonder?? I can’t quite pinpoint what it was that made this day trip so spectacular, but it will forever be etched upon my memory, and was worth every hard earned penny.
I always find traveling alone to be a love-hate relationship. I love traveling, and being alone wont stop me from experiencing new places, getting stuck into different cultures, while venturing to places unseen or less called on. But reminiscing there afterwards, that’s where I wish I had been on this adventure with a travel lover, someone to remember how the boat jostled me about, or how I stood at the helm of the ship soaking in every last second of the adventure, even to the point where I could of blown away with one gust of wind.
The hot tea and coffee provided ,did the trick to warm my freezing fingers. I met some other well weathered travelers, including this rather ridiculous Frenchman named Valentine, yes, his name was Valentine!!! There is something about meeting someone from a foreign land in an unfamiliar place and sharing a laugh as the wind kicked up the sea tumbling us about the deck of the ship, while we tried to catch photos!!
The most memorable point of the voyage was when we came to the turn around point and the captain shut off the entire engine and they made an announcement to cease the use of any electronics, I mean the mountainous views weren’t going anywhere… They wanted us to be IN the moment. And what a moment it was.!!!
‘He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am the wind, bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy [How He loves – David Crowder Band]. Those lyrics came to mind as the boat bobbed up and down and all you could see were 360 degrees of mountains, you could smell the salty air, the wind was just enough to make you realize you weren’t dreaming and the sound of water falling off the mountains into the sea was truly mesmerizing. Caught in the moment it seemed all too surreal, so when the engine chugged back to life and photos went back to being taken, my heart was full and satisfied in what the Creator had shown us.
Doubtful. Sound. Did it happen or was it all just a wonderful dream.
