I had always wanted to visit this amazing place but somehow never managed it during my four years at Otago University. Queenstown and Wanaka spoilt us for spectacular scenery and there didn’t seem to be an imperative to venture further south and west.

We picked up Viv from Dunedin and headed through the Southland towns of Gore, Clinton and Lumsden before arriving at Lake Manapouri. We had booked a house right on the lakefront. Mega bucks but hey – this was our first time in Fiordland and we wanted to make it a memorable one. The house was just amazing with 180 degree views out over the lake and mountains.

The Real Journeys company has been around for years in the area – heavily into conservation and preserving the ecology. They took us over Lake Manapouri as far as the Manapouri Station.

During my years in the electricity sector I was lucky enough to visit power stations in many of New Zealand’s remote and beautiful locations. But the Manapouri Station had always fascinated me – mainly for its remote location and the sheer size and complexity of the engineering construction project. The station actually looks quite underwhelming when you see it, but of course the bulk of the station lies underground going down some 170m. There are 10km of tunneling to reach the turbine hall where 7 vertical penstocks feed 7 machines pumping out enough power for the whole South Island – well actually the majority of the output is used by one mega aluminum smelter in Bluff.

We had the number one comic bus driver for our trip over the hill to Doubtful Sound. ECNZ funded the building of the Wilmott Pass road – now acknowledged as New Zealand’s most expensive roading project per metre. Apparently the downwards section is about the steepest gradient of any road in New Zealand, but not to worry as the brakes have been checked 11 months ago. At the top of the Wilmott Pass we had our first glimpse of Doubtful Sound – just wow . . .

Captain Cook was the first European to come across Doubtful Sound – but never made it in as he wasn’t sure if he could get the Endeavour out again. Hence his name for the place being Doubtful Bay. It was some Spaniards who later first mapped the area apparently.

The Real Journeys Patea is big, comfortable and an absolutely first rate way to see this piece of paradise. Every turn is a photo opportunity – every corner yields a vista seemingly more beautiful than before. We were able to poke our nose right out into the Tasman Sea (which the Captain described as a millpond that day but that didn’t seem to stop one poor girl depositing her breakfast over the side). We saw some fur seals sunning themselves on rocks – a reminder of the thriving sealing industry this place supported 200 years ago resulting in over 100,000 seals being slaughtered for their blubber and meat.

Viv was in the unfamiliar territory of being without internet and so no snap chatting, instagramming or facebook. At one point the captain switched the engines off and we just drifted in silence with just the sound of birds. Captain Cook apparently remarked on the bird chorus which at dawn was deafening. It’s a lot less now with the amount of introduced predators – the big problem in this area being stoats which were supposed to kill rabbits but instead turned their attention to birds and eggs. DOC is leading a new programme in NZ called Predator Free 2050 – no more stoats, rats and possums in 33 years time. Its an ambitious project and with 60 million possums in NZ, probably only achievable through a breakthrough in gene science.

The permanent population is around 100 apparently but that must balloon out in the summer months with holidaymakers and tourists. The settlement has many holiday houses (they call them “cribs” down here) – and if the one we are staying in is anything to go by, they are unpretentious and a slice of real kiwiana.

Have just returned from one of the most spectacular sights I have ever witnessed – Nugget Point. A drive along the beach road from Kaka Point brings you to a carpark and the start of a 900m walk to the lighthouse. Nothing quite prepares you for the shear awesomeness of the views – wild churning sea battering against craggy cliffs and then a group of rock formations called the Nuggets falls away from the lighthouse and viewing platform.

I encountered two of my previous employers on our short walk. The Department of Conservation (DOC) who do such a great job signposting walks and views across New Zealand. And then Maritime NZ who run the lighthouse (as they do all other lighthouses in New Zealand). Its been automated since 1989 but prior to that it would have been manned. What an amazing spot to wake up each morning!

Back to DOC who have been pushing for a marine reserve in the area – but opposed by the local community for whom fishing goes back generations in the area. You can often see whales, orcas or dolphins from the cliffs but not when we were there – or if they were around they didn’t exactly put on a jumping display to catch our attention.

The idea is Jo and I head off for a year. A vague itinerary with a few milestones like – seeing the girls, detoxing in Sri Lanka, exploring South America and hanging out in the Netherlands. But more gaps than milestones to be honest. Isn’t that great!

Flew into Dunedin about an hour behind schedule. Wellington, like the rest of the North Island, has been completely drenched by the remains of a tropical cyclone, which did some serious damage to the Aussies. Edgecumbe pretty much one big swimming pool.

Anyway – this trip is all about embracing the things that don’t go to plan – so on that basis, being delayed an hour is a fortuitous start.

Viv hooned into Dunedin airport in our Hilux Surf (the Beast), which she is loaning for the year while we are away. Big hugs and then off to the city. Jo and are staying in a cool little studio converted from an old stable – run by a quirky backpackers called Hogwartz on Rattray St.

Dinner that night at The Dog with the Two Tails – just about our favourite Dunedin place to eat. Laid back and funky with a miniature train running around the restaurant. Every time we have been here there has been live music – this time a very credible jazz band rolling out a few lively numbers. The clientele numbered dreadlocked students, tourists, a big bloke with a beard who looked like he had just come off a fishing boat and at the next table a curious couple – the man spending most of his time engrossed in a large picture book on New Zealand birds with his partner looking slightly on her own.

One highlight of our three nights in Dunedin was probably our excursion with Viv up Kapukatauumahaka – Mt Cargill. At 676m it is one of Dunedin’s highest points – complete with a bristling 104m communications tower and satellite dish. Looks a bit like NASA if you had never been out of Dunedin.

The walk to the Organ Pipes from the summit was only 20 minutes according to Viv. More like an hour. But spectacular with birdsong and nature so close to the city. The Organ Pipes are a formation of columnar jointed basalt – for the geologists who might be reading and they look sort of like organ pipes I guess . . . Viv went hard out in front (so much for a social chat along the way!) while her parents formed the back party. The beer tasted great that night.

The other Dunedin highpoint was attending lunchtime Theatre at Otago University’s Allen Hall. Saw a very cool and funny short piece about a group of women in a mental hospital meeting to discuss various issues, such as how to pre-empt the imminent attack from the men’s’ ward. Put on by the performing arts students – a good laugh.

Viv is doing a practical theatre paper this semester, which allows her to manage the lighting and sound for some productions. Her class numbers just 12! She told me on the phone the other day she has found her calling . . . isn’t that awesome.