Lord of the Rings here I come!

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17/2/09 = Tongariro Alpine Crossing...awesome!

Alarm went off at 5:10am and crawled out of cocoon into freezing cold of room. That = interesting thing about NZ; first country have been to that is really cold on a night and in a morning...just like home. Ran for shower to get warm, then got ready, packed up, had breakfast and got into car at 6am; right on time! Still dark outside, but managed to find our way onto right road...not that we knew really where we were going. Had some sketchy directions from a lady and a map that didn't really show the road we were looking for; other than that, were relying on luck. Were trying to find end of walk so that could park car and then it would be ready when finished walking. Just needed to get a shuttle to beginning of walk then = $25 each; a rip off really! Master plan didn't work out. Spent ages driving up and down main road and for life of us we could not find the dirt track that was the end of the walk. Tried a few random gravel tracks, but none of them worked out. Were running out of time, so had no other option but to drive to beginning of walk and see what was there.

There was a DOC (Department of Conservation) man at beginning of walk, so asked him what we could do. He said we only had 2 options:
1)Do half of walk and walk back to car = rubbish because really wanted to finish it
2)Ring a bus company whose number he gave us = equally rubbish, because no signal on phone for a 2km radius.
Didn't know what to do! Really cold out, so layered up with all clothes possible whilst waiting for Hull guys, who had paid for bus transfers to walk. They arrived 10mins later and decided to chance it and ask their bus driver if he could pick us up at end of walk too and drop us off at our car. He came up with a better idea. He would get one of his workers to drive our car to end of walk and then when we got to end, he would give us our keys back and car would be waiting for us. Brilliant. Even better...he put our big bags into coach so weren't on show for thieves to steal and only cost us $20 between us, rather than the $25 each it was going to cost for shuttle. Awesome. Did cross my mind that was a little dodgy to give car keys and car to a person whose name I didn't even know...but running out of options, so did it.

Set off on walk v.happy then; much better to do whole thing and not just half of it. Got too hot within minutes and had to do some de-layering, but then ready to get into walk. Landscape amazing and looked totally like Lord of the Rings film; could really imagine it all happening here. Ground rugged and uneven with toweringly high hills and mountains in background. Even passed some small waterfalls that I'm sure Gollum showered in. Strolled along this first part, but then didn't take long before came to a steep climb. Had lots of uneven and steep steps and took a lot of head down/powering through to get up. Literally hundreds of steps though, no way could walk them all in one go, so had to have some little rests on way up. Great to look out at view anyway; could just see miles and miles of green and mountains...amazing. Even more amazing were old people passing us, hiking with big backpacks, and the young guy who was doing the walk with his main, huge backpack. I was struggling with little string bag! Further climbed up Devils Steps (that's the actual name, not just my nickname), the more we ascended into cloud = quite cool. Not a grey day, but lots of clouds and as walked up to Mt Ngaurahoe (a.k.a. Mt Doom from Lord of Rings), could barely see it was there. It was totally engulfed by cloud.

Got to top of Mangatepopo Valley and looked out at view standing right next to Mt Doom. Disappointed that cloud had smothered mountain so much, but even more disappointed that couldn't walk up it. Tongariro Crossing already set as a 7 - 8hr walk and climbing Mt Doom would be another 2 - 3hrs on top of that...just didn't have time. Would have been brilliant to have climbed that though...maybe next time. Stood with it for a while - just cool to be standing next to it I suppose - then carried on with walk. Went through South Crater next, which, like it sounds, was a giant crater formed by erruption of volcano. Nice and flat...definitely appreciating the flat. Would have appreciated it more if had properly looked at what was coming next. Had to climb to Red Crater = highest point of all walk at 1886ms above ground and also half way point for walk. Was a great view before we even started climbing, but from top, it just got even better. Getting to top however, was a different story. Didn't have a nice slope or the neat rock steps had climbed earlier; this was an incredibly inclined hill made of gravel...tons and tons of loose, small gravel. Had to walk up it almost completely bent over for balance/momentum and the most slowly I have ever walked. So hard to maintain any kind of footing without slipping and just generally really hard work on poor little legs. Edged up it cautiously and with a few rests along way. Took a picture of Dave (Hull guy) when he was only a few metres behind us and cloud was so thick that could barely tell he was their. Higher we got, more we got swallowed up by cloud. V.v.v.v happy when we got to top 😊

As soon as did come to top, found some nearby rocks (didn't have to look far!) and collapsed on them for a rest and some lunch. Completely surrounded by cloud now and couldn't see anything but each other and a blanket of white. Shame, bet would have looked amazing on a clear day. Still, pretty cool to be sitting in cloud too...something I used to imagine when I was a kid. Got really cold as well as cloudy and had to re-apply layers; doing that a lot today! Just had a 10min rest to eat crushed sandwich, some jellies and some more cookies. Jellies and cookies going down v.well on this walk. No suprise that haven't touched any of fruit yet! Ate, then continued with trek. Walked across from where we had been sitting and cloud started to dissolve a little; could see Red Crater in it's full glory. As name suggests, it glowed red, a little like Ayers Rock. Pretty cool piece of volcano. Watched as cloud cleared more and more and crater seemed to get redder and redder, then when cloud returned, as it always does, continued on. Had been so relieved to get to top of crater, that hadn't even thought about getting down, but as looked over edge, descent actually looked worse. Set off down it and it was worse! Like the climb up, there were no steps, only a really steep downhill made of small rocks and rubble. Tried to move down it slowly and carefully, but still slipped over twice within first 5mins. Deb fell over onto hand too and Bobby fell flat out onto his back, which by end of walk, he had done 3 times! Crazy. Falling wasn't all bad though. Was only by landing on hands that noticed how hot ground was. Were all freezing at this point because so high up - even had sun hat on just to keep head warm - but ground was warm because of volcanic action below. Had read about a place along walk where ground hot. Cool. Stayed on floor for a while warming hands up, then continued scrabbling down. Got to half way point and that's when spotted Emerald Lakes. They were amazing. They would have looked amazing anywhere, because they were such a beautiful and vivid turquoise colour, but they looked even more stunning plonked in the middle of a crater and surrounded for miles by grey and red rock. Don't think have ever seen a lake such an incredible colour; it actually looked unnatural.

Had 10mins to amaze over Lakes, then continued on. Hard to beat that view now. Walked through the lovely, flat and non-rubble Central Crater. This went passed Mt Tongariro. Mountain looked great and were all stupid to pass it without climbing it. Was supposed to be an easy climb that only took 1 and half hours and gave amazing views. I had been so concentrated and disappointed on not climbing Mt Doom, that didn't even think about climbing anything else. Should have done though; it would have been really good. We only realised when it was too late 😞 Got across crater and came to the Blue Lake. V.difficult to justify name because it really wasn't that blue when we saw it. Maybe it was weather, or maybe was because it followed Emerald Lakes...nothing was going to beat them. Nosied at it anyway, then carried on trek up yet another hill. Was our last hill of rubble and once scrabbled up that, were on the last stretch of walk, which was pretty much all downhill. Taken over 150photos at this stage = leader in competition against Bobby, who had also just lost 'Best Multi-tool Knife' competition against Deb...just wasn't his day.

Last part of walk was v.different to first part. Downhill was different (and nice), but were also walking along and surrounded by green hills of grass and trees; not the rocks and rubble had previously walked across and could see for miles. Looked nice, but wasn't as good as first part. Had walked for 4 and half hours to get there and time seemed to fly, but now looking out amongst masses of green, everything looked the same and time started to drag. Just wasn't as interesting to look at and downhill meant no physical challenge to occupy body. Decided to play games to pass time instead. Played all usual alphabet and word associate games, then after an hour, had a rest and more food. Nobody really hungry, but had plenty of time and eating food meant didn't have to carry it...at least that's what I said to myself when munching on handfulls of cookies. Guys had their yoghurts for energy. Yoghurts...for energy...on an 8hr walk. Who packs a yoghurt on an 8hr walk?...crazy! Had food, then set off again at 2:15. Played games all way to next rest stop = Ketetahi Hut = place where people can stay over for night. Beautiful view out across a valley here and a lake never found out name of. Sat for 5mins, used toilet (only one on whole walk), then continued on for last hour to carpark. Started to rain at this point and also got pretty cold. All layers back on again...such a mixture of seasons in one day!

Last hour of walk saw change of scenery again to a walk through a forest; nice change. Was all downhill again, but actually really tough. Knees aching from all pressure of downhill and had to walk pretty slow on steep slopes. Was 3:10 when people started rushing passed us. Looked at watch and realised they were rushing for 3:30 return bus. Was another bus at 4:30, but we may as well rush too. Picked up our pace and soon saw some light at end of tunnel. Nice to actually see daylight; been surrounded by either clouds or trees for last 7hrs. Emerged into carpark, happy at walk and even more happy at how relatively easy it had seemed. Were all quite surprised. Had expected to be sore or tired or at least something, but still all feeling good. No injuries, not even a little blister. Awesome! Said our goodbyes, then went to find car...hope it's there. Sylvia was waiting for us all ready and raring to go. Nice people had loaded our bags back in for us and even opened car windows to keep it cool. Bless. Got in and had some more snacks before journey to Wanganui = 1 and half hours away. Just eating when a lady approached us and asked if we could do her a big favour and take her back to beginning again. She and her husband had done same as us = couldn't find end of walk, so parked at beginning and hoped someone would help them out at end. Couldn't fit both people in because of giant backpacks, but happily took husband back to beginning and he then drove car back for his wife (at least that was his plan!). As drove out, realised we had been looking for end carpark in completely wrong place this morning, so never would have found it. Oh well...all worked out for best in end.

Seemed to take ages to get back to beginning, but got an amazing view of Mt Doom on way. Sky had cleared a lot and turned into a nice, sunny day, although there was still cloud sitting over peak. Man gave us some wine for dropping him off (won't be drinking that...strictly off wine...for life!) and then headed onto Wanganui. Was a nice drive there, along river for last part of way and found hostel quite easily. Was another nice YHA, with a really small and cosy feel, like a B&B. Drooped things into room, which was nice, but a bit like a hospital with a curtain instead of a door, then went to find supermarket. Took a lot of wrong turns before found supermarket and started to feel a little tired...had to have another cookie to prep me up. Did the trick. Neither of us really hungry, but still did a bid shop and had a good dinner. Delicacy of cheesy spaghetti on toast; was actually really nice 😊 Not really fit for much then. Didn't have energy for internet or to even watch T.V., so went to bed early. Had a lovely cup of tea and another 3 cookies = 14 so far today...and not small ones either! See Mum, you really don't need to worry about me eating! Then tried to read for a while, but even effort of keeping my eyes open was too much. Made my cocoon and went to sleep at 8:30. Absolutely brilliant!

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Photos

Off we go
All of us orks and hobbitts.

Me and Mt Doom
Thats what I'm pointing to anyway. Mt Doom is the thing buriied by all the cloud!

Yoghurts
Apparently the new energy food?...Not sure about that one boys!