Continuing
further South, Taupo with its enormous lake provided a pleasant spot
for lunch and catching up with internet and suchlike. We needed to
keep moving so we carried on towards Tongariro National park,
stopping at the helpful Turangi iSite for some information on our
next trek – the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The park is a world
heritage site, ski centre (rather than resort) during the winter and
is dominated by 3 volcanoes, the largest of which Mount Ruapehu last
erupted in 2007. Mangahuia DOC campsite, near the park's entrance was
where we would strike camp and use as a base for the trek. A nearby
hotel, the Discovery Lodge runs an early shuttle up to the trail head
so we planned to take it in the morning. Sylvia made an excellent
goulash for dinner and we tried an early night in preparation for a
5am start. It rained heavily for most of the night and we weren't
well prepared in the morning, having no snacks made for the trek.
It
was still raining when the alarm sounded and a dense fog surrounded
the volcanoes which we could see clearly previously the day before.
It really was a horrible day. We were wet by the time we got to the
car. The driver at the lodge warned that visibility was low and it
was windy so not a great idea. Never were 4 people so happy to go
back to a tent.
The
second attempt went much better. Fresh in the darkness before dawn,
up a well marked gravel and slatted path with dawn approaching the
foot of the conical Nguaruhoe. Completely clear skies over the
landscape below, lakes in the distance. Some recently constructed
wooden stairs to soda springs and into the expansive south crater,
getting windier at altitude. Was it smoke at the top of the volcano
or a cloud? Bitter cold as we made the highest pass into red crater.
A strong smell of sulphur at the top, 1886m - steaming vents, the
ground warm, hot even to the touch.
We
caught our first glimpse of the shimmering emerald pools below and
took in the otherworldliness of this feast of the senses that was
before us. Down the difficult scree towards the lakes, a few others
coming up the opposite way, much tougher I'm sure. On past the larger
Blue Lake and then a long zig zag down to Ketetahi hut where we
munched our sandwiches (this time having the wherewithal to make them
the night before) and rested up for an hour. On down through some
land which was not public, past some vapour springs, lots of signs
warning that access to springs was prohibited but that still didn't
stop some American tourists scrabbling over for a gander. Further
down, back under the tree line and through a pretty forest to the bus
pick up point. A fabulous morning.
We
chose a campsite that we thought was nearby as no-one wanted to drive
too far after the hike. It just so happened that Kawhatau campsite
was almost impossible. It took us about 2 hours after leaving the
main road. Up one side of a river only to have to return at a farm at
the end of a road. Eventually, but only after having to drive through
another farm, through goats and dogs and cows and about 10 gates, did
we find the place. It was what DOC call a basic site – free, but
only a pit toilet buzzing with horseflies for facilities. Wrecked
tired – fair play to Oli for driving, we had popcorn for dinner and
turned in.
We
had been on the road for 8 days at this stage so had only one more
night in the tent before needing to drop the car off in Wellington.
Justin, who Claire and I also met in Rio and who had continued
travelling with Oli and Sylvia lived in Palmerston North, on the way,
so we stopped in and met him for lunch. Another lengthy journey due
to a closed bridge. We had coffee and used the internet in his house,
but only after starbucks tried to charge us $10 an hour (no free
coffee). Our final site was in Otaki, a few hours North of
Wellington. It was another basic site. In this one fires were allowed
so we collected lots of wood and made a big one – it had seemed
strange to camp for so long without a campfire but at least we got
one in to make smores and roast marshmallows.
