Martins Bay Lodge in Fiordland National park

On my way back from the unique experience that I don't really know how to describe: 12 days at Martins Bays Lodge helping out as a wwoofer in the Fiordland National Park on the hollyford track.
Martins bays lodge is a quite remote place reachable through air or water only. The way to go took me on a helicopter flight over Milford Sound and the north part of the fiordland National park, as well as the way to go out: the first way short and of top of the fiords,  the second along the coast and in the middle of Milford sound. I really can't describe my happiness of being in the middle of the sound, half way between water level and the highest fiord in a helicopter: just so stunning!! The pilot took us close to the waterfall as well with an incredible manovre! But this was just the last days of the magic experience just lived.
The first day flying in and got assorted a room in the staff quarter, a nice and cosy room, nice focaccia bread sandwich waiting for me and a chocolate cookie, the lodge hosts taking me for a look of the place and explaining me my duty and jobs to do. Then a drive on the jet boat with the boat driver half way between the lodge and long reef point: we were supposed to go crayfish hunting but unfortunately had a call and had to go back. It was more than I was anyway imagining! The time there went just better and better with some people coming over on the nights off and with the free time passing by between walking and exploring, jet boating Lake McKerroy and the river up to Pyke Lodge and back.
It was my first time for so many new things: helicopter flights, jet boat rides, quad bike driving to the lunch tent and I guess even tramping on my own, just me, nature and a radio in case of emergency.
I met some incredible young people managing and hosting the places for the groups coming in and nice guides, including a very young Maori boy proud of showing around the land of his ancestors. One night off we've even had a big feast in kiwi style with some gentlemen on a trip to the fiordland, lots of chatting, drinking, food, jokes and laughing.
The people that pay for the trip, thruogh the Hollyford track company based in Queenstown, leave all happy and grateful for the experience had, the visitor books are full of beautiful comments and compliments. I'm so grateful as well to have had the change to experience this place in my trip around New Zealand. And for the first time I've been almost impressed from some mountains being different from but beautiful as my lovely Alps of Italy.