The bus picked me up at 5:40am!!!!! So that I could start the Tongariro Alpine Crossing which basically a track that passes over varied and spectacular volcanic terrain.
I was trekking with Yui, a Japanese girl from the hostel, 
so it was nice to have some company.....although one would never be short of seeing people along the way...the track was mobbed I was expecting a few people doing the walk, but there were hundereds. It was still a fantastic walk though as the track led upwards though what I can only discribe as a Martian landscape....it was so baron...no life at all..just volcanic rocks. We passed the start of side track to Mount Ngauruhoe….used as Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings…..but since the clouds had now come down…there seemed little point.
After having walked up the Devils Staircase (very steep), we walked through the vast expanse of the South Crater, to which I can only describe as another moon landscape, it was vast.
After the South Crater, we ascended to the summit of the Red Crater, which is strangely enough a crater of red rock!!!....... Volcanic smoke seeped from cracks in the rocks, with strange rock formations caused by the previous volcanic activity.....an amazing site.
Across the ridge and down we could see the Emerald Lake, with it’s distinct colour, it looked incredible sat amongst the hardness of the surrounding grey/black landscape. The smell of sulphur was strong as the gas imminated from the ground all around this area
After having a rest bite we continued the trek for the next few hours down from the volcano towards the pickup point. It was incredible how the landspace changed from a lifeless rocky wilderness to a lush green woodland after such a short time.
Overall it was a wonderful walk, described as one of the best treks in New Zealand......and it would seem that the hundreds of people who also turned up today would possibly agree.
