Today I had to make a decision between heading south to Wellington via the central volcanic area or going via the east coast and visiting Napier. Many friends had recommended Napier as a pretty town with lots of art deco architecture. However I really wanted to get a closer look at the big volcanoes in the centre of the North Island. I had read about the famous Tongariro crossing but knew I was not fit enough to do that and that also I did not have the time. However my Lonely Planet guide said that in summer the ski lifts are open for tourists who want to go up the mountain. The obstacle in the way would be the weather. If it clouds up you cannot go up there.
I set of to drive to Taupo and got there about 9.30 am. It was a glorious morning with bright sunshine. I was very taken with Taupo. I thought it was less touristy and more scenic than Rotorua. The views across Lake Taupo were fantastic. However in the distance where the central volcanoes were there was a large bank of cloud. It was not too late for me to turn east for Napier. What to do? I decided to stick to my plans as the forecast was good for Mt Ruapehu in the afternoon. What a good decision I made. I drove on and after a lunch time stop at Turangi where I managed to picnic in the shade by the river I finally saw the big volocano. It is surrounded by the smaller cones cones if Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. Mt Ruapehu itself had snow on the top which made it appear even more spectacular.
I drove up to Whakapapa village, (careful how you say that, remember 'Wh' is the pronounced 'f') and from there up to the ski lifts. Two gut churning ski lift rides over
great basalt boulders strewn around from the last eruption and I was there. A few minutes more clambering up the slopes and I was on snow, watching kids toboggan. I checked on the map when I came back down and I was only a few hundred metres from the rim of the crater!
What a day. I spent a couple of hours up there and then came down and drove to Ohakune where I stayed in the YHA hostel before the final leg of my drive to
Wellington.
