Epic New Zealand Road Trip - Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Feb 14th
Today was going to be a big day. We got up early to catch the shuttle to the Mangatepopo Road End where we’d hike the 12-mile Tongariro crossing. We did not know what the temperature would be like. I was prepared for the cooler weather at the top at elevation of over 6,000 feet, by throwing my sweater, my light red jacket, my blue rain jacket, and my scarf into the backpack. I meant to get another bottle of water and forgot about it. I’m sure I’d have used it. 

The bus stopped right where I was standing, so the four of us were the first ones to board it, which was a good thing because when we were dropped off at the trail head, Debbie and Satomi were able to use the restroom before a long line was quickly formed. This trail was not like any trail I’d hiked before. The scenery was amazing and there was no shade. The sun was on us constantly. I took off my long sleeve. I had only a yoga tank top on the whole time and never got cold. The first few miles were gently sloped and fairly easy. When we got to Soda Springs, we found a warning that we were about to climb into the alpine zone and there were 8 miles of hard hike ahead of us.

We continued on. I never had to share a trail with so many people, or if I did, there were trees to separate us. We often had to stop to let faster hikers by. I kept my steps small and steady. Many times I thought we were already at the top, only to see a steep hill ahead of us. I told Debbie not to look up. I did have enough energy to veer from a straight path to take a picture of a large crater.

We wanted to save our lunch until the top, but there was no good place for lunch there. We sat on a rock on a slope and ate a shared sandwich and a coke. We could see the Emerald Lakes and they were beautiful in vivid colors due to leached minerals from surrounding rocks. I thought things would be a lot easier now because we were going downhill. Was I ever wrong!

The descend was hard as we stepped on loose ground on a steep slope. At one point I asked the person following me if she wanted to pass, she declined. It seemed so scary because I could imagine slipping all the way down the hot lakes.

We finally passed the hard part and then it was a steady downhill. When we got to the lakes, we stopped for pictures. Debbie said she didn’t want to walk around the big lake as some other hikers. I didn’t argue because I knew we had miles to go. We marched on, past the Blue Lake, past the Ketetahi Shelter, past the Lahar Hazard Zone, past lots of stairs going down (Thank goodness we were not going the opposite direction), past what seemed like a beautiful garden, and finally we reached our destination. The Ketetahi Car Park was full of people and buses. We didn’t remember what our bus looked like! But we didn’t miss it when it came. We were exhausted but so happy we made it. I texted Liên, who had completed the hike with Satomi an hour before we did, to see if we could change the hot tub time. We couldn’t. But that was A-Okay.

We shared a delicious dinner, did a load of laundry, sat in the hot tub, and enjoyed a needed good sleep.

Collage #51

I thought I didn’t like Ông
He took me to the library
When all I wanted was
To be with my mommy
I thought I didn’t care for Ông
But he was oh so nice
He came all the way from Virginia

To spend seven days with me

Then he took my hand

And walked where the path led us
He read me good books
And made me laugh aloud
He played with me all day
All I had to do is say
I want you beside me always
I know the power of my sway
We’re having so much fun
I’ve forgotten all about
The time Ông took me to the library
But if I wake up and see no Mommy
I may be very angry
I may tell Ông to stay
Away and lock the door
And we won’t play
Until Mommy is back to me
But I do love Ông
And so do Drakeson and our parents

Epic New Zealand Road Trip - Waitomo

Feb 13th
We left Queenstown at the wee hours in the morning to drive to the airport to return the car and took a flight to Aukland, where we met up with Satomi, Liên’s friend, who arrived the night before to join us for the rest of our New Zealand trip. We picked up another rental car and began our drive to Waitomo where the Waitomo Glow Worm Cave tour was awaiting us. Satomi was very tired from her travel, so she slept most of the way. We got to Waitomo early enough to have lunch before the tour. We finally found the elusive cheese board and shared it among the four of us for dessert. Yum. We were sold.

We got back to the tour place in time. Mark came to introduce himself as our tour guide. I had a hard time understanding his accent at first. He didn’t hold a grudge on me when I thought his name was Max or Mike or anything else that began with M except Mark. 
Before entering the cave, we donned a helmet with a headlamp mounted on it. We needed the light to guide us in the dark cave, but we turned it off to see the glow worms. We cruised the underground river with the light off on a boat pulled along a rope by Mark. It was awesome. 

Outside of the cave, Mark let the eels bite his hands and feet. Liên got down to touch the eels but she was afraid to let them bite her. The rest of us just took pictures.

We were treated to cookies and tea before walking to another cave where we didn’t need to wear headlamps because there were lights that could be turned on. The path to the cave was very pretty. We found fantails flying and jumping around. In the cave, we saw bones that were preserved by the cool and dry atmosphere. There were glow worms here, too. 

After the tour with the charismatic, albeit reluctant, tour guide, we continued our driving to Tongariro National Park where we stayed the night. We walked to one of the two restaurants available in the park and shared pizzas for dinner. We were happy to learn that there was a hot tub and we took advantage of it. 

Oh, I did get one decent picture of a fantail.