“On a Mish” #251 Back to Work… Fiordland National Park. 22.2.2021. A girl in shiny red shoes said it best “there’s no place like home”. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and being away from the house I had worked so hard to get made for a tough 13 months. For a lot of people the dream is to have their own home, and have it in a convenient place (for work). I am extremely lucky to live so close to one of New Zealand’s most treasured areas.
From my house I can see the twin peaks of Mt Luxmore(1472m), and some of the very exclusive Murchison Mountains. In the other direction I can see the peaks of the Takitimu Mountains and the farmland that surrounds them. It is a privilege to live in a place that people travel from all corners of the globe to see, and everyday I can see why. Te Anau has all I could ever need – shops close by and a skatepark. After returning from Christchurch with my parents we had an all out assault on the mass of weeds that was growing everywhere it could. After an epic weed removing mish, we headed down to Mitre 10 to pick up my autumn supply of food in the form of many vegetables to be planted in the now well prepared soil (an incredible amount of work in such a short time – LEGENDS!!). I have enjoyed going into my backyard each day and seeing the plants progress as well as making sure they have a good drink of beautiful clean Te Anau water. But the main reason I live in this majestic part of the world is the ease of access to so many places with jaw dropping beauty. Within an hours drive I am well into Fiordland via the Milford Road, and more importantly I am in the Darran Mountains, the world’s best mountain range (personal opinion). Being a town so reliant on tourism, lately the streets have been very quiet. February is usually a busy time for Te Anau. Chinese New Year is known to be a time of the year when every single bed in every single accommodation provider is being used, and the town is humming with many tourists enjoying the epic scenery and some of the activities available. One of Fiordland’s most popular outings is a visit to the Te Ana-au Glow Worm Caves.
A short ferry ride takes you over Lake Te Anau to the only range in the park with restricted access, the Murchison Mountains. Then it is a temporary goodbye to life above ground as you continue on to the caves. Being someone who gets a little bit claustrophobic in small spaces, I wasn’t sure at first how I would go in the caves. I’d rather be in the open air on an exposed mountain ridge than underground. Of course I never mentioned this when I met with my new teammates after re-joining the Rj’s team. To my and many others’ relief there is only one short tight spot throughout the section of caves we visit on the tour, and it is the very first part of the trip. Along with learning the ropes, readjusting from over a year of not working has had its moments, and it is safe to say I have been sleeping well after each day at work. I still have a lot to learn about my new job (lots about Glow Worms!), but I can say for sure… IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK IN FIORDLAND!!
