Taupo & The Tongariro National Park For The Very Last Time

Mordor

We were up early and back in the car for our next road trip. We were heading west towards the North Islands very central core. I had been to this place many a time, in fact I had been here just a week or so ago but my parents wanted a tour and no tour of New Zealand would be complete without stopping off here in my opinion. So off went to The Tongariro National Park and my old home - Taupo.

We first headed straight to Taupo so we could check in and dump the bags. I didn't need to point out the lake - it's pretty large and exceptionally obvious as soon as you get anywhere near the area. Our hotel was right on the lake-front and I wasn't complaining - I don't think I had stayed anywhere so good in all my year and a half of traveling. We then took the scenic drive down to the National Park. My Dad, like myself, is a bit of a Lord of the Rings fan and I wouldn't let him miss out on seeing Mordor and Mount Doom. We first parked up by the start of the Tongariro Crossing before the three of us decided to take a brief stroll along the first part of the track. From the track you could see the volcanoes of Tongariro, Nguaruhoe and Ruapehu. Now and again I would show them bits of old volcanic rock and often store them in everyones pockets for safe keeping. It was a bit cloudy at first so our views were some what blocked but they soon passed.

We then went into the Whakapapa Village, right in the heart of the National Park, were we did what any English person would do - we had a nice cup of tea and a scone. We also went around a small museum which provides information on the volcanoes and the area in general.

We later returned to Taupo for dinner. Beforehand however, we stopped off at my old hostel - Go Global. I had not stayed here for a while so I decided to see what the place was like. It hadn't changed very much, if at all - but there was no-one working who I knew. I really should have pre-warned people of my arrival and I will no doubt regret not doing that - in fact I already regret it. I must have made an impression on the place though, because just as you walk into the hostel, are a series of printed pictures up on the wall. Most of them were of the era when I was there and many of the photos had me in them (looking pretty ridiculous in one way or another). It made me smile.

The next day, we headed north. I took my parents to the impressive Huka Falls as well as the outrageously long journey that I used to walk to work. We stopped at GNS and I said a farewell to my old boss Gill. We continued north. It was just one more hour to our next location. I'm sure I could smell the place about 30 minutes before we arrived. There's not many places that smell as bad as Rotorua.............