We drive south to a free campsite we've discovered. It's on the lake and so picturesque, it even has a cafe and a playground, I can hardly believe it's free.
The next morning we want to hike the Tongariro Volcanic Crossing so we head to the nearest iSite to arrange a shuttle from the end of the track back to our car. We're off to a bit of a late start and the woman at the iSite seems nervous for us. It's 11 am and the last shuttle is at 5.
"We recommend giving yourself 8 hours to complete the track, do you think you can do it in 6?"
Despite her intensity, we're convinced that we can. The estimated time for these hikes are always grossly overblown anyway. We pay $30 each for the shuttle. Robbery, I tell you.
We get onto the track and start hustling, our fear driving us quickly up the steep incline. We pass old people and tailgate lollygaggers* all the while heaving and dripping sweat. We allocate an extremely limited amount of time for photo snapping and eat our lunch as we walk.
We arrive at the peak and it's as if we've landed on another planet. Glowing blue lakes of sulphur sit beneath red mountain tops. An eerie mist hovers over the entire park. We truly feel like two hobbits, off to Mordor. As we begin our decline we realize we're making really good time. It's just after 2 and we're nearly at the end. Encouraged by our surprisingly high stamina, we continue on at our brisk pace. That's when we approach the 100+ elementary school kids, slowly meandering down the narrow path. Luckily for us they're cool kids and as soon as we appear behind them they all start yelling, "LEFT!" and moving to let us pass. We arrive at the end with all the other tourists and immediately start stretching out. We both nearly pass out in the overly warm shuttle.
*On a side note- when did I become a 65 year old?
We head to Lake Taupo and stay at another incredible (and free!) campsite directly on the river. I wish all New Zealand municipalities would take a page out of Taupo's book, these free sites promote tourism while keeping the freedom campers out of sight and out of mind. But I digress...
We're exhausted so we both pass out before the sun even sets and don't get to explore the lovely reserve.
In the morning we go check out Huka Falls. It's underwhelming and too touristy compared to what we've seen. I'm still unsure if there is a better place to view them, maybe someone can shed some light on this?
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| Yeah, I guess it's alright. More of a giant river than a waterfall. |
Inspired by our amazing hike we decide to hike Mt. Karioi when we return to Raglan. I invite along my friend Sebastian who has expressed interest in partaking.
Right away, we realize this hike is going to be a challenge. It's mid-afternoon and insanely hot, the hills are steep, the bugs are swarming and it's becoming obvious that we have not brought enough water. Jordan and I are still feeling high off our Tongariro time so we hoof up the hill at a steady pace. 6 hour suggested walking time be damned! Sebastian comments on how quiet and focused we are and tries to distract us with small talk. We all keep tripping, especially the tall and gangly German. At one point, Jordan tries to hand him her water bottle and it ends up careening down a cliff. Sebastian tries to retrieve it and almost dies in the process. We are now officially out of water, but nearly at the top.
We finally reach the summit, a helicopter pad, and, as always, it's worth the trouble. At over 1000 m above sea-level we are on top of the world. We revel in the awesome beauty and take some photos. A helicopter actually flies right up beside us and we excitedly wave to the pilot.
We descend the hill and Sebastian falls about 10 more times. It actually takes us the entire 6 hours to complete the hike. At the bottom, we head straight to the beach where we run directly into the surf and frolic in the cool waves as the sun disappears behind the bend.
Back at home, Jordan and I dig into the incredible seafood given to us by the lovely Jess. Smoked marlin, a giant crayfish and some rice. Life is good. And I'm reminded that there is always an adventure to be had and beautiful sights to see, especially in your own backyard.
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