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Milford Sound, New Zealand – the sound that turned out to be a fjord

Gosia — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 14:43:12 +0000

Milford Sound is a pretty peculiar place. It can get so wet here that the direction of the rain seems to defy the laws of gravity – the water quite literally flies upwards. And as if that wasn’t enough, the area is patrolled by a gang of parrots specialising in… breaking into cars. It sounds like a disaster zone, yet it’s the most popular attraction in New Zealand. The name, however, does its best to mislead visitors. Milford Sound isn’t really a “sound” at all, but a fjord – and one of the most spectacular in the world. How is that possible? Let’s go back to geography class for a moment. A “sound” is simply a flooded river valley in a V-shape. A fjord, on the other hand, is carved out by glaciers and has those characteristic steep, rocky walls. Milford Sound was sculpted by a glacier during the last Ice Age. When the ice retreated, the Tasman Sea simply poured in and filled the valley. The result? Fifteen kilometres in length, almost 300 metres deep, with rock walls rising 1,200–1,700 metres straight out of the water. So yes, “sound” and “fjord” might rhyme, but something is definitely off. So where did the confusion come from? Naturally, from Europeans. It wasn’t enough for them to nearly wipe out the kiwi population, they also had to mix up a fjord with a sound. In fact, Milford Sound was initially bypassed by European explorers. Its narrow entrance didn’t look promising, and ship captains, including the famous James Cook, were afraid to sail too close to the steep mountains. The fjord remained unnoticed until 1812, when Captain John Grono discovered it and named it Milford Haven after his home region in Wales. Later, John Lort Stokes renamed it Milford Sound – and that name stuck. Towering mountains aren’t the only challenge in Milford Sound. The second one is the weather, or rather the chronic lack of good weather. Milford Sound is a place where it rains on average around 183 days a year, with annual rainfall exceeding six metres. So as I set off towards Milford Sound, I had zero expectations when it came to sunshine. Murphy’s Law works flawlessly for me: if it can rain somewhere, it will definitely rain when I’m there. And yet, to my surprise, when I arrived the sky was completely clear. Even though all that rain sounds like a very effective tourist repellent, it’s actually the main driving force behind the entire spectacle. Without it, there wouldn’t be hundreds of waterfalls. Two of them are particularly special: Lady Bowen Falls, 162 metres high, and Stirling Falls, “only” slightly shorter at 151 metres. The rest are seasonal waterfalls that appear after heavy rain, streaming down almost vertical rock faces. And as if that wasn’t enough, the rain and wind sometimes team up in ways that are frankly at odds with physics. Under the right conditions, the waterfalls can be blown upwards. Strong gusts of wind, the shape of the fjord and the sheer volume of water mean the streams get pushed back into the air. That’s not the only distinctive feature of Milford Sound. Huge amounts of fresh water flowing down from the mountains form a thin layer on the surface, which floats above the salty waters of the Tasman Sea. The result is the fjord’s characteristic dark, almost inky colour and conditions where just 10 metres below the surface it is as dark as at much greater depths in the open ocean. Perfect conditions for marine life – less so for photographers. The true star of the show, though, is Mitre Peak – a mountain rising almost vertically from the water’s surface to 1,692 metres. It’s one of the most photogenic mountains in New Zealand and one of the highest in the world to rise directly out of the sea. The best way to see Milford Sound up close is to take a cruise along the fjord. It lasts around two hours and delivers the full package of experiences. On top of the otherworldly landscapes, you can spot numerous seals lounging on Seal Rock, dolphins, and with a bit of luck even Fiordland crested penguins. No wonder Rudyard Kipling called this place the eighth wonder of the world.

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New Zealand, Kaikoura – a post about dreams coming true

Gosia — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 14:38:58 +0000

Time for a post about dreams coming true. Hard to believe, but New Zealand for me was never the goal itself. In fact, this dream was born eight years earlier, in Hawaii. Quite by accident, during one of the boat trips, I found out that I had been this close to seeing whales.Well, not exactly close — more like a seven-mile step away, because I should have planned my trip six months later. That dream was promptly added to my bucket list and filed away in a drawer labelled “long-term”. Until the day tickets to New Zealand landed in my inbox. And then it was clear: now or never. I started planning the trip by checking one crucial thing — whether my path and the whales’ path could finally cross. The answer was Kaikoura. Why Kaikoura is a whale-themed Disneyland Let’s start with the name. “Kaikoura” comes from kai (to eat) and koura (crayfish). So right away you know what this place is about: food. And rightly so, because Kaikoura is basically an oceanic all-you-can-eat buffet. It wasn’t always this wholesome. Until 1964, Kaikoura was a whaling station. The hunting was so efficient that whales simply started running out, and the business died. Quite literally. Today, Kaikoura is exceptional mainly thanks to the Kaikoura Canyon — over 1,000 metres deep and located practically right off the coast. Cold currents from the south collide with warmer ones from the north, mixing an oceanic cocktail and pushing huge amounts of nutrients to the surface.The result? An all-inclusive canteen for marine life — whales included. That’s why Kaikoura is one of the best places in the world for whale watching. It’s one of the few places where sperm whales live year-round, with humpbacks, orcas, long-finned whales, blue whales and other XXL-category creatures dropping by seasonally. Life is not a film The first whale I saw on the trip was a sperm whale. It surfaced, took a few calm breaths… and disappeared with grace. That was it. A moment later, my eight-year-old dream collapsed like a house of cards. Because in my head I had a Free Willy poster moment: breaches, fountains of water, dramatic music. Instead, I got a brief glimpse of a fin. Sperm whales are 15–20 metres long, weigh 40–60 tonnes and surface roughly every 45–55 minutes to breathe. They take a few solid breaths, shoot a one-metre plume into the air, and vanish back underwater. And when they dive, they don’t mess about — over 3,000 metres down. Breath-holding records? More than two hours. Inside their heads is over a tonne of spermaceti, an oily substance used for echolocation and buoyancy control. Humans once used it to make lubricants, creams and lipsticks.And ambergris — a luxury perfume ingredient? That comes from the intestines of sick or dead sperm whales. The show of a lifetime As I stood there staring at the ocean in mild resignation, a sightseeing helicopter suddenly roared overhead and the boat picked up speed. In the distance, I saw a plume of water. The cause of all the excitement? A humpback whale. What followed was an hour-long acrobatic performance. The humpback danced around our boat for so long that my arm hurt from holding the camera. Eventually, I gave up. I put the camera down and it was just me and the whale. No photos. No chasing the perfect shot. Just a moment meant to be lived, not documented. What I saw was extraordinary. It looked like a dance — and if whales can dance, this one was the Fred Astaire of the ocean 😀 Dolphins on performance enhancers Just when I thought the adventure was over, the boat sailed straight into a pod of dolphins.Not a few. Hundreds… They were jumping, racing the boat, playing. The dusky dolphins were completely unhinged — impossible to capture on camera. Pure chaos. Pure joy. Kaikoura delivers on land too On the way back to Christchurch, I stopped by the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway. Ocean in the distance, mountains in the background, and seals lounging on the shore — entirely uninterested in humans. Who to go whale watching with? I chose Whale Watch Kaikoura, boasting a 95% success rate.The trip lasts about 3.5 hours, and if no whales are spotted, they refund 80% of the ticket price.That said, don’t get your hopes up — whales are detected by sonar, so refunds are rare. When to go? Sperm whales and dolphins can be seen all year round.Humpbacks appear from June to August, while orcas show up between December and March.

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Zanzibar – 10 most beautiful beaches

Gosia — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 15:32:41 +0000

After visiting the mainland of Tanzania, I decided to go to Zanzibar. My plan was in no way original, hundreds of tourists do that. Zanzibar seems to be a natural choice for rest after a safari tour or climbing Kilimanjaro. It was the end of the year, so the peak of the season, I knew what awaited me there. The thought of hundreds of tourists made me feel sick. My expectations weren’t high, I just wanted to look around the island in peace. Zanzibar surprised me positively. You probably know that feeling when you leave the hotel and suddenly all the charm is gone. Usually, places outside tourist zones don’t look like from travel catalogues. Meanwhile, virtually everywhere in Zanzibar you can feel that sepecial exotic vibe. Coconut palms, banana trees and traditional buildings made me feel like I was on exotic holidays. What were the beaches like? Maybe check it out by yourself… ? During my stay, I only visited the island of Unguja, which is colloquially and incorrectly called Zanzibar. Actually, Zanzibar isn’t just one island but an archipelago of islands. The largest islands are: Unguja, Pemba, Mafia and Latham. In addition, the archipelago consists of around 50 smaller islands. Nungwi I chose Nungwi, located in the northern part of the island, as my starting point. Maybe the location was not optimal in terms of logistics, but Nungwi is a typical bustling tourist resort. After all, I needed some civilisation. I would simply run wild being alone in some remote area on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s such a paradox, during the day I try to visit deserted places, but in the evening I like to be among people. Nungwi fitted this role perfectly, in the evening, after a whole day of sightseeing, I had many pubs and bars with numerous events and there was always something to do. Plaża Mtende Number two is my favorite. Mtende Beach is located on the far southern part of the island. It’s located in a secluded place, away from civilisation, which is why it has retained its wild character. The interesting cliff coast is a unique sight in Zanzibar. Matemwe Matemwe Beach is a good choice for hermits. It seems endless, and believe me you won’t see many living creature on the horizon. There, You can feel as if you were on a desert island. Pongwe A beach with a long pier from where you can admire amazing views of ocean. At low tide you can take a long walk into the sea. Kiwengwa Kiwengwa Beach is worth visiting not only because of its paradise scenery, powdery sand and turquoise water. Right next to the beach there’re numerous shops of famous brands… ? Mangapwani It’s a secluded, tiny beach in the western part of the island, where I didn’t meet a single living soul. Abandoned fishing boats add additional charm to the beach. It’s a perfect place to relax. The Rock Restaurant i plaża Michamvi Pingwe The Rock restaurant is one of the most popular places in Zanzibar. The idea of creating a restaurant on a small island is quite original. However, what is even more interesting is that this restaurant, depending on the time of day, may be located on the ocean or on land. Zanzibar is famous for its high tides, and The Rock restaurant is the best place to observe this phenomenon. In the morning, when the tide is low, you can visit the restaurant without getting your feet wet. Meanwhile, in the afternoon it can only be reached by boat. Paje The beach in Paje delighted me with its white and flour-like sand, contrasting with the intense turquoise colour of the water. It’s also a favorite place for kitesurfers. At low tide you can see many kites floating above the water. The beach in Paje also offers a wide selection of restaurants serving local dishes. There’s a fishing village nearby, so fresh fish and seafood is guaranteed. Paje is also famous for seaweed farming. Algae are grown on special poles immersed in water. Cultivation is done mainly by women. At low tide you can see them tending the seaweed, picking it and then drying it on the shore. Algae are now used to produce many cosmetics and are one of Zanzibar’s main export goods. Traditional dhow boats are another popular sight on the beaches of Zanzibar. They are built by hand according to a pattern passed down from generation to generation. The key element of construction is the selection of a tree which has appropriate shape in order to shorten the time of processing it. It can take up to even a year to build such a boat. Jambiani Beach I was enchanted by this beach mainly because of its local vibe. There you can see children playing in the water, women tending algae plots and men repairing fishing nets. Zanzibar – Safari Blue Last but not least Safari Blue is the most popular attraction in Zanzibar. It’s cruise during which you can observe the amazing underwater world of Zanzibar. During the trip you can see corals, swim with colorful fish and even wild dolphins. An additional attraction is swimming in the lagoon. More about Zanzibar soon…

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Girl on a Trail, New York for a song!

Gosia — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 19:35:44 +0000

New York is considered one of the most expensive cities in the world. After a week’s holidays in the “Capital of the world”, I admit it’s so damn expensive. However, it doesn’t mean that you have to lose your shirt to see this city. On the contrary, a large number of attractions is available there for a few dollars or even free of charge. Drink on the roof Entrance to the terraces of New York skyscrapers can be pricey, on average it costs 40 $. You need around spare 120$ to visit viewing platforms in Empire State Building, Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center and One World Observatory. However, the wonderful panorama of the city both day and night can be seen from the many roof bars. For the price of a drink or beer, you can admire a wonderful view of the city for free! The most popular and the biggest one is the 230 Fifth Rooftop in which additionally offers happy hour, so you can even lower the total cost of your drink 😉 More details you can find here. Other popular spots include: Spyglass Rooftop Bar, or Skyline Rooftop Bar & Lounge. Cable car with a view of Manhattan The panorama of New York can be seen even cheaper, in the price of a ticket for public transport. For less than $ 3 you can hop on the a cable car to Roosevelt Island. The station is located at Tramway Plaza. The route leads just above the Queensboro Bridge and offers a great view of the eastern part of Manhattan. Cruise with Lady Liberty New York public transport also offers a free ferry cruise to Staten Island. Ferries leave from Whitehall Terminal located in the southern part of Manhattan and pass right next to Lady Liberty. This option allows you to save 25$, because that’s how much the trip to explore monument with the nearby Ellis Island costs. An additional attraction is the amazing view of the southern part of Manhattan along with the One World Trade Center. World Trade Center on Tuesday… In the current World Trade Center complex, you can visit a museum dedicated to the tragedy of 11th September 2001. Admission to the museum costs 26$, however, few tourists realise that it’s possible to visit it free of charge every Tuesday between 5pm and 7pm. To visit the museum you need to grab a free ticket from the ticket booth before 5pm. I honestly admit that I expected a huge queue on the spot, meanwhile most people had tickets purchased online or New York Pass card. I didn’t even stand in queue for a free ticket. In the Vault Free tours are also offered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The interior of the vault can only be seen during organised trip booked via the website. Trips are carried out from Monday to Friday from 1pm to 2 pm due to great interest, is better to book it earlier. Inside the great library While being in Bryant Park, it’s worth taking a look of the New York Public Library. It’s said that this is one of the largest public libraries in the world. The interior of the library delights with design and greatness. Many famous films were made here like: Ghostbusters, Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Spiderman. Admission is free of course 😉 Bookstore under the stars On the eastern side of Central Park you can visit an interesting bookstore called Albertine, which offers a huge collection of French books. However, the greatest impression is the interior of the bookstore, a room that’s actually one big mirror and especially the ceiling, on the second floor, which looks like the sky with a hundred stars. An interesting option, especially for beer connoisseurs, is a trip to Brooklyn Brewery. The admission on weekdays costs 18 $, however, it’s free of charge on Saturdays and Sundays, tours are carried out at every half hour and start from 12 pm and ends at 18 pm. For those who are planning to visit numerous museums in New York, the best deal is New York pass. The card offers access to more than 100 attractions including points of view on towers. Detailed information can be found here.

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Tip for a trip – weekend on the Lake Como!

Gosia — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:03:04 +0000

What’s the best way to say good-bye to winter? Purchase a flight to Bergamo at a discounted price and in just 3 hours’ sip aromatic Italian cappuccino in a cosy cafe with a view of the famous lake Como. What can you visit there and how to organize this trip on budget? As a short introduction, there’s a lot to see, because Lake Como is the third largest lake in Italy, right after lake Garda and Maggiore. What’s more is one of the most deepest lakes in Europe, in some places its depth reaches over 400 m. One can say that size matters, but in my humble opinion the sights play crucial role here… 😉 This place is located very close to Swiss border in the beautiful scenery of the Alps. Taking a ferry is a must, unforgettable experience is guaranteed! It’s the best to start the trip from Lecco, which is about 50 km north of Milan or Bergamo. Lake Como is shaped like revesed letter Y. Lecco is the gateway to this lake from eastern side while from western side is Como town. Lecco is a rather compact town, but incredibly charming. The main point in the city centre is the promenade of Lungolago Isonzo with a view of the nearby mountains and the characteristic high belfry of St. Nicolas church, which is the symbol of the city. The must – see is also the main square – Piazza XX Septembre, surrounded by colourful houses and arches with a tower – Torre Viscontea in the background. Lake Como has been a popular holiday resort since the oldest times reaching back as far as Roman Empire times. In fact, it is possible to say that the wealthy Romans started the trend of building luxury villas along the coastline of lake Como. Indeed, Roman times are gone but the lake has become a popular destination for numerous stars such as Madonna, George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Sylvester Stallone or Richard Branson. Towns located on the Lake Como are well-communicated. There are numerous ferries, boats and water taxis. It’s worth taking a cruise on the lake to see some of the luxury properties and the beautiful countryside. The most popular is by far Villa Serbelloni located in the small town of Bellagio. Who has watched Ocean’s Eleven film for sure reminds this name of a luxury hotel/casino located in Las Vegas. The inspiration for its creation was Bellagio town. Villa Serbelloni, as a matter of fact, the prestigious Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, is located close to the Bellagio tiny harbor, on the flowerful promenade. Villa from the inside is only available for hotel guests, but you can visit the hotel’s garden. The Bellagio is also called as the Pearl of the Lake Como and is located in its centre in close proximity to the most beautiful city in Lombardy – Varenna (here’s the post). In addition to Villa Serbelloni, it is worth taking a stroll and visiting historic old town with numerous colourful houses and upmarket boutiques. Getting to farry in the direction of Como, you can see the famous Villa Del Balbinello, well known form Casino Royale film, surrounded by a lush garden form the one side and from the other by the waters of the Lake Como. Practical Info: From Caravaggio Orio al Serio airport take a bus to Bergamo train station. Tickets can be bought at the tourist infomation desk at the airport or in the vending machine at the bus stop. Timetable, price and route can be found here. The route from the airport to the train station takes about 15-20 minutes, and the stop is located right in front of the station. [huge_it_maps id=”4″] Train tickets to Lecco can be bought at checkout or in a vending machine at the station. Tickets can also be purchased via the internet on this site. Trains run practically every hour, and travel to Lecco takes about 40 minutes. The ticket costs € 3,60 (data from 2018). From Lecco to Varrena – Esino run trains, the cost of the ticket is about € 2,90 (data from 2018 ), and a journey takes form 20 to 40 minutes depending from the train type. The timetable can be checked on the same page as the connection between Bergamo and Lecco. Below is the map with marked train station in Varenna and harbors in Varenna and Bellagio. [huge_it_maps id=”5″] Form Varenna take the ferry to Bellagio. Ticket costs 4,60 € (data from 2018), timetable you’ll find here. To get from Bellagio to Como, it’s best to get on the ferry. The schedule is available on the above mentioned site of Navigazione Laghi and the ticket costs 10,40 € (data from 2018). From Como S. Giovanni station catch a train to Bergamo. Ticket costs 6,70€, and the timetable is available on before mentioned Tren Italia site. [huge_it_maps id=”6″] What’s the total cost? – return flight tickets from Warsaw – 20 € – bus from Caravaggio Orio al Serio to Bergamo Bergamo train station – 2,30 € x 2 – train from Bergamo to Lecco – 3,60 € – train from Lecco to Varenna Essino – 2,90 € – ferry from Varenna to Bellagio – 4,6 € – ferry from Bellagio to Como – 10,40 € – train from Como do Bergamo – 6,70 € Total cost: 53 € As for one day it’s quite a lot to do, I did this trip in 2 days with a one – night stay in Lecco. The accomodation cost 25€, but there’s also possibilty to vist for example only Lecco, Varrenna and Bellagio, which in my opinion are the most beautuful.

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