Sara was a bummed-out from almost a week of rain and our bedbug situation so wanted some normalcy. We decided going to a movie would do the trick and provide a break from the van. On the drive from Cape Palliser to Tongariro National Park, we searched for movie theaters in small towns and found one at Palmerston North but just missed the movie by 15 minutes! We tried again at the next town with no better luck. So much for that idea because we weren’t going to be in any towns with theaters for a few days… oh well.

That night we stayed at a DOC budget campsite near the trailhead of Tongariro Alpine Crossing (a very popular day hike) and we had our sights on climbing Mt. Ngauruhoe. The center of the North Island is a volcanic and geothermal hotspot. Mt. Ngauruhoe is an active volcano that last erupted in 1975, but its main claim to fame is starring as Mt. Doom in Lord of the Rings. As we were cooking dinner, the clouds and rain finally lifted allowing us to peak at the volcanic mountains through the trees. Hopefully the weather would stay away for our climb the next morning!

Thankfully, we woke to blue skies and it was even almost hot in the valley! We started out surrounded by people hiking the Tongariro Crossing. Luckily we would be able to leave most of them behind once we started the steep trail-less ascent up to the peak. It makes sense that the crossing is so popular – it is a fairly easy path meandering to stark volcanic wasteland. It feels like a different planet!

As we left the trail to begin the climb, the peak was hidden in clouds and they didn’t move as we progressed so it was hard to gauge our process. We had also underestimated how cold it would get on the ridge so pretty soon we were thinking about having to stop because it was so cold. Some fellow hikers gave us encouragement and pointed out that we were very close to the summit. All of a sudden, we broke through the clouds and were just steps from the summit and the volcanic crater. The summit was a ring around the crater and it looked like steam was rising from inside, spooky! We took some pictures and enjoyed our well earned lunch before attempting the descent.

Here is Sara’s perspective on the climb:

• After leaving the hikers and beginning the trail to the summit, we stopped for a break and to have an apple. I think this ended up being a mistake because I cooled down and seemed to never get warm again. At that point, I was wearing all the clothing I had which was only layering with a wind breaker and hat. As the climb got harder (loose talus under my feet and no hand holds) my muscles seemed to tighten and not respond completely. Plus my hands were freezing so I wanted to keep them in my jacket which did not help with balance. I quickly became frustrated that we might have to turn around and upset that it could have been avoided if I have prepared better by bringing more layers. Other climbers coming down (appearing through the clouds) must have seen a look of despair on my face because several told us how close we were and offered words of encouragement. I had a breaking point and started crying from frustration which alerted Will to come to my rescue. He took the shirt off his back to give me another layer! We continued up (him just in a windbreaker now) and made the summit about 20 minutes later. Thankfully, we broke though the clouds at the top and they stayed away for the return hike keeping me warm and allowing for stunning views!
  

 

I have never had an easier time getting down a mountain. The volcanic cone is mostly loose talus and sand. To go down we just slid! It almost felt like we were skiing on the rocks so I jokingly said we were scree skiing – check it out:

 

Next we planned to soothe our aching muscles at a naturally heated public hot pool in Tokaanu. We drove away from the trail head and started down the highway while admiring the sunset. Then behind us, I saw something fall off the roof of the van and realized I didn’t have my GoPro camera. I quickly turned around and stopped where I saw something fall. After a few minutes of searching, we started finding pieces of the case. I found the actual camera in a puddle on the side of the road completely destroyed. Luckily, the SD card was still intact and not wet so all the footage was safe!

Now I really needed to relax in a hot pool! It was just like a normal public pool except it was almost as hot as a hot tub and felt great after the long climb. Our campsite that night was a unimpressive parking lot near Lake Taupo, but at least it was free. But the next morning, we realized the boring parking lot was really a beautiful area. We were on a small cove of the lake with tons of swans and other birds searching for food in the shallow water. We enjoyed our morning coffee and tea on a dock watching all the activity.

After breakfast, we drove around the scenic Lake Taupo to the town of Taupo. With the help of our guidebook, we hit up a fairly secluded waterfront point to relax and blog. Before completing our task list, I persuaded Sara to take a break and enjoy a free natural hot stream that was nearby. This thermal stream flows through a public park before mixing with the cold Watimo River. Where the two water mix is the perfect place to hang out. Lying in the water, my torso was nice and warm while the cold water was dancing around my feet. There was really a spot with the right temperature for everybody. Taupo is on the typical tourist trail so it was quite busy, but Sara and I still enjoyed ourselves.

That evening, after showering at the local sports club, we finally had our movie night! While at the movies, we set another bug bomb in the van because we noticed a few more bites… We keep telling ourselves that we don’t have to deal with them much longer.

We only have one more week in New Zealand and there is still lots to do. Next we are heading to Rotorua to find more hot springs and go Mountain biking in the famous California Redwood Forest.