It has been some time since that last update where we were staying on the banks of Lake Taupo and, accordingly, several things have happened...no doubt I will forget a few but heres the best overview I can manage.
The first port of call was Turangi where it was wet and we waited for the weather to clear before heading up into the Tongariro National Park to do the Tongariro crossing. Passed the time talking a visit to the National Trout Museum, and also fishing....Pip pulled one in although it was on someone else's cast. We met up with a couple Kiwi flyfishers and they gave us some tips on the Tongariro and fishing in general...weather was not too good so we took home the trout Pip landed but didn't quite manage to get one entirely of our own.
Turangi over we headed up into the mountains and the small village of Whakapapa in order to do the Tongariro crossing! The next day at the crack of dawn we took the bus to the point where the crossing begins and took it on just as the sun was beginning to rise....making good time allowed Pip, James and myself to take on the summit of the NorthIsland's second highest mountain (actually active volcano) Mount Ngurauro (or something like that). Gruelling climb but well worth it for tremendous views of the volcanic lakes and craters (and the miles of surrounding scenery)...plus a little snow on top amongst the steam that the volcano emitted providing a somewhat bizarre (and puzzling) combination. The scree slope down was awesome...essentially it was one solid slide of about 15 minutes to get down what took us an hour and a quarter to climb. Onwards through the crossing was great and very straightforward compared with the climb...the emerald lakes were especially impressive due to their almost luminous colour. Well worthwhile walk, and one of the few that lets you get so close to volcanic features.
Post walk, and wakapapa, we headed to the coast once more...this time to Napier, a town destroyed by a 1931 earthquake and rebuilt in the Art Deco style. Its a wonderful place to wind away some time, and to busk in the pedestrianised cafe lined streets....the region is also noted for its wine making so that too is on offer. Took a trip to the NZ National Marine Aquarium and filled days admiring the architecture of the place.
Also stayed briefly in Havelock North whilst James and Pip waited for various administrative stuff to be sorted....its a small place but the campsite was excellent and allowed us to consider the next part of the trip which will likely include work.
From there four of us have headed on to Martinborough leaving James which was to work in Napier but I think is now in Wellington. Martinborough is once again vineyard country...we've found a great campsite hired some bikes and toured the tastings at each of the vineyards (with a few wobbles and Pip taking a bend very wide indeed...also known as 'the hedge route'!). Weather has picked up and the town is amazing...plus, on another fishing trip yesterday taken on the Ruamahanga River I caught and landed two trout (the first of the trip) one was small and the other fairly sizable but not so big that we felt it right to keep so both have returned to the depths!! Very satisfying experience and the second put up a good fight...both caught on dry flies (small waterboatmen imitations). Job hunting we do go in the near future around the Wellington district where harvest is about to begin and the weather seems good....maybe vineyard, maybe cafe maybe busking!
As a little extra note Pip and I rocked up to the Martinborough Hotel a couple evenings back with the instruments (Clare and Anna came too, and Clare played too!) and as a result many free drinks were had and a St. Patricks gig is sorted....the bar is a great place with tonnnes of locals, lots of character and a warm atmosphere so we're only too pleased to play for free beer, food and accommodation with its owner!!
