Tongariro Crossing

Having relatives scattered throughout New Zealand paid off again as we were able to crash with my cousins Dylan and Nick in their place, which is excellently located with great views over Wellington. Unfortunately we were not so lucky with the weather and for the first time for as long as I can remember we actually had to wear jackets.













The first night Dylan took us out on the town to sample a couple of Wellington's many bars on Cuba Street and Courtney place. This meant I felt a little jaded the next day so we settled for a gentle walk around town, taking in the improbably steep streets with houses clinging to the cliffs for dear life, the redeveloped dock area and the cable car up to the Botanical gardens. We also paid a brief visit to the Te Papa, the 'Museum of New Zealand' to see its latest attraction the disappointingly small Colossal Squid.















We then headed back to Hawkes Bay to see my Granny again, and after brief stop in Napier to see the Art Deco architecture, we arrived back in Taupo. We enjoying some more of my Aunt Rose's hospitality with a BBQ on the lake front, and the next day we headed back to the mountains and to Tongariro National Park, to walk what is often claimed to be one of New Zealand's best day treks. The walk is 13 miles across spectacular volcanic scenery including stunning emerald lakes and dramatic craters. I think I'll let the photos do the talking.















The walk took us 8 hours, which is about what the guides indicate. We were lucky as the weather was spectacular so it felt pretty pointless carrying our fleeces and rain coats, but as the track reaches 1,900m and weather can change very quickly its necessary to be prepared.















For the most part the track is well marked and reasonably easy going. That is until you get to the summit of the Red Crater where the track becomes a scree slope. This basically means you have to slide down the other side which given the steep drops and either sides didn't do much to help my vertigo! Anyway, with much help from Rich I somehow managed to get through. From the last hut, it's a full two hours downhill to the car park - even if you don't have soar knees at the start of this, you do by the end.















The track is one way so you need to organise for someone to pick you up at the other end. We timed it to perfection and arrived at the end of the track dead on the time our mini bus was scheduled to pick us up. A short ride with several other very smelly treckers and we were back with our car for the drive back to Taupo and a much needed gin and tonic. Many thanks again to Rose for her hospitality.