The f***ing end of the world

Hello!
Yes, we are still alive! I just got back online after a lot of things happened. I am going to try and make a mega post to keep you all up to speed to what has been going on.
The first part of the adventure ended happily, Japan's fast visit was a success in what we wanted to achieve, a little bit of jet lag adaptation before going on, some good sushi and Josele's first glimpse of the most amazing city in the world. Additionally, this stop gave me time to catch up with josele and my backpack to catch up with me. The backpack barely made it, but all was good at the end.
The next flight took us from Narita (look up where it is) to Christchurch (ditto, and don't close Google Maps yet...). It was a nice flight, landing one hour in advance and letting us enter the island of the weird nature where we had to prove we had no seeds or food in us that could harm this paradise's nature.
A shorter flight from Christchurch to Queenstown let us have the first glimpse of our future whereabouts and to tell you the truth, it looks really scary.
Once in Queenstown, we started the preparations for our second adventure.
The first thing we did is put on short sleeves and pants and go drink a beer in the lake's beach. Once that was over, we bought mountain food, redid our packs, put the uncessary stuff in a locker and took a bus to an even more remote place, the small village of Te Anau.
After more than 30 hours of travel, we finally slept in the youth hostel of Te Anau, had an excellent venison rib dinner with some local Pinot Noir and got ready.
So, what were we getting ready for?
The next morning, Josele and me took our packs and got into a boat to cross a lake and start the Milford Track, considered one of the five best trecks in the world.
Only 30 people per day can walk this track in the remote south of New Zealand's south island. We booked this treck last April, as at least eight months advance is required.
The track is 53 kms long and starts at the far end of a remote lake, where no roads can get and is a very protected natural reserve. You have to disinfect your boots before touching land or you'll be taken back to Te Anau, that is how protected this place is. In exchange, you get to see lots of rare birds who, incredibly enough have no fear of humans, so they'll fly or walk around you as if you were in a world 10000 years ago. The Keas, Kiwis and lots of other birds are the main thing, but the weird trees and palnts also are different from anywhere else. The landscape is incredibly beautiful, the boat ride going in was excellent and the four days walking had surprises all along the way. Waterfalls, canyons, rope bridges, icy lakes, mountain passes, this track has it all.
And it all happened under a blue sky and sun that are quite rare. This region gets an average of 7000 mm of rain (yes, that's 7 metres per year) and you only have a one in three hundred chance of walking the track with no rain.
Well... we had that chance. No rain, just sun all the way.
This isolated track starts at the lake shore, follows a valley up a river and the climbs a mountain pass, in order to access a second valley that takes you to the deep end of a fiord where the lodge of Milford Sound is... but on the other side of the fiord. So you need another boat to exit the track, tired and dirty, but happy with the hidden wonders of this beautiful corner of the world.
After these amazing walk, we timed our exit day right to meet the exit boat and got here to Milford Sound. Here we have a luxury cabin in a nice lodge so we can rest our tired feet. I am writing this post before I go to the local (and only) pub for beers. Yes, that is how devoted to you readers I am, I write BEFORE the beers.
Unfortunately, the eight hundres photos of josele are still in his camera. I will post some later if I have the time, but he's now waiting for our laundry to be finished.
If I have to compare this trak with the other two "top ten" walks I have already done (Kilimanjaro and Sawback), I'd say this is by far the most beautiful and the least challenging. The companionship was excellent, josele and me are getting along with no problems whatsoever and everyone was friendly in the track. We had good chats and met interesting people.
However, of the 3 tracks, Kilimanjaro and Sawback were a more fullfilling challenge. This one is to me, the most beautiful stroll I can imagine, but if it had 5 tent campsites instead of 30 people huts with kitchens, it'd be even better.
So, adventure number 2 is done, tomorrow we'll start phase 3, a very short one, but I refuse to tell you anything before hand...


Concerning the laptop, I want to thank you for your ideas. Obviously, I have not given it a single second of thought, but yes Tokey, I could maybe do a 15" but it should fit to open fully in a plane seat's table or it won't be useful. I will see about it when I get back, but thank you anyway.
On to adventure!