Going Under the Misty Mountains

In order to reach Milford Sound you must pass through the Homer Tunnel. On our way back from the Milford Sound cruise, we managed to get a few more pictures that we didn't get the first time through. As you approach the tunnel, the valley that you have been driving through ends as you come around the bend and a single lane tunnel regulated by a street light is the only way to get to the other side. It is a steep road and it feels like a ride at an amusement park. This is the closest we can get to going under the Misty Mountains. Thankfully there are no watchers, goblins, trolls, or orcs to make an area already prone to rock slides and avalanches more perilous.

It takes about two and a half minutes to get through the Homer Tunnel so don't hold your breath.* This adventure adds an extra layer of gravity to the phrase "light at the end of the tunnel".**

* Unless you practice free diving and are not the one driving.
** Not one of the longest in the world but at the posted speed limit (30 Km/h) it feels like a long time.