6/6
How rough did I feel this morning! Couldn't face breakfast at all. Had some water but erm yeah. Really bad day to be confined in the car for 3 hours. I just wanted to curl up in a ball. Eventually I managed to get some sleep in the car and then felt a bit better when I woke up. Staying in a village called National Park, in Tongariro National Park. The hostel has awesome views of the mountains and in particular Mt Ngauruhoe or more heard of Mt Doom. It was so cool to see it from the kitchen! It looks different to how is does in the film though as it is covered in snow now.
7/6
When we were finally all ready this morning we hit the rental shop. I managed to get for $50, boots, snowboard, jacket, trousers, googles and wristguards, not bad and it turns out they forgot to charge for the jacket! We got half way up the mountain and then had to wait for a shuttle as we didn't have any snowchains to get us the rest of the way up the mountain (volcano). 5mins turned into an hours wait. Eventually we hit the slopes, well beginners area anyway! It was so much fun!! Fell over lots of times mind you. 3 of the times I was going faster so when I fell it hurt more- landed on my tail bone. Managed to knock Emma over as well as I can't stop let alone turn the snowboard. Si tried to get out of my way but ended up falling over anyway. The boys taught me how to stop, sometimes I can and sometimes I can't, other times I throw myself down as I can't steer yet!! Good fun, looking forward to giving it another go.
8/6
Got up this morning and me and Ell went out for a walk up a volcano to see the Emerald Lake. What a mission the start was, so many steps- didn't think I could go up much further. I did though and we made it to what looked like Middle Earth. It was an easier walk from then on, less steep. We walked through snow, ice, mud, ash and "rivers". We had lunch just before some sulphur fields any closer and it would have ruined lunch as it was so smelly up there! We didn't make it to the lake as there was a bit way to dangerous to walk across with no crampons- one slip and down the mountain we would go. Turned around and headed on back down. When we got back to the hostel we found that Si and Emma hadn't even got up and done the 20km Alpine Crossing that they were going to do.
9/6
Good job we were leaving today as the weather would not have been good for walking or snowboarding. Loaded the ship and headed for Taupo. Got there and realised apart from skydiving there isn't much else to do and due to the weather we wouldn't be able to for a few days, we headed on to Rotorua. On the way we went to Huka Falls and Craters of the Moon- a hot spring place full of steam. Got to Rotorua and had a look around and booked some activities. A better car trip today after the last one!
xxx
