Roadtrip day 6

It’s been snowing off and on all day long, and we’re now parked at Lake Gunn for the night – and it’s freezing!!! I didn’t like my sleeping bag at first cuz it was so bulky, but now I’m glad Mom made me get the warmer one. I’m the warmest on this trip right now, though my hands are still really cold. I could use Ralph here right now, to warm when up lol.

We totally slept past our cruise time – good thing we didn’t pay for it. But we still headed up to Milford Sound, hoping to catch a later cruise. And I opted to drive, cuz Anela had driven all last night.

BAD idea!!! Omg, SUCH a bad idea!! Like 15 km out a policeman stopped us to check to see if we were carrying chains for the van. Umm, no chains. Even though there were signs like 80 km back saying we needed them to be on the road. But we kept going anyway. Hehe, oops. Ok, so that was bad news #1) cuz he said he could fine us $750 for catching us without them! Bad news #2) the WORST possible thing EVER: I don’t have my license here in NZ! AND he asked me for it! Omg, I was freaking out soo much, my heart was pounding, and I had no idea what to do! I lied (to a police officer…not good) and told him it was buried in the back, so he told me to either find it or to show him the registration/rental forms.

So we searched the car for a good 10 min for the papers. We had no idea where there were, so we tore the whole van up looking for them. Finally found them. I show them to him. And miracle of miracles, he studies the paper for awhile, then says, “oh, good, you’re license number is on these papers. You guys are good to go.” But my license number was NOT on the paper – there was a huge blank where it said “license #: _______”!!! Omg, thank you Jesus! I don’t know how he looked over that. I could’ve been fined soo much, or I would’ve been taken to the police station and I don’t even know what could’ve happened.

So we quickly turned back around – Anela drove the rest of the way. But since we really wanted to go to Milford Sound we decide to rent chains in Te Anau and go back up to Milford for the cruise the next morning. The DOC ranger came to our campsite that night to charge us for staying there – the only time we got charged for a campsite. Only saw 2 of us in the van though, so didn’t charge us for Anela, who was hiding under her sleeping bag lol. We found out from him about the US elections. That Obama was winning. Lol, we found out from a park ranger in the middle of nowhere. I can’t get over that. :P

Leah