Tongariro Crossing

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English
An early (to be on holidays) waking up (6.50), due to the long walk that awaits me and also due to the fact that after the hike I have to drive to Wellington (5 hours...), is the beginning of a special day.

The walk start from a place from which you can see all the mountains that is just there waiting for you to hike....

The landscape is really desertic like with just small plants (the dark colour of the lava causes additional heating of the soil that usual plants don't rellay enjoy!).

After 1 hour walking on nice FLAT path, there is a steep climb up to the South Crater, which looks really like a lunar landscape once you are there!
The walk continues heading up to the Red crater, a Vulcano still (slightly) active with beautiful red colour!

then there is a steep descend on scingle (little stones...I hope this is the correct spelling Nick!) up to the Emerald lakes!
the colour of these likes is amazing!Like Emeralds! I was really like to get there still with the sunshine! When the weather is cloudy (like on the way back) the colour looks different.

I then walked up to the Blue like, a big vulcanic lake and I got back to my car rushing to Wellington.

It was really a full day but sofar the best one in New Zealand!!!

Italian

forse quando torno in Italia....

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Photos

Hiking....
the mountain awaits the poor hiker....

Looking down from an intermediate point
The presence of some girls is to satisfy the curiosity of Annemieke and arantxa!!!

The Emerald Lakes
THe coulor of these lakes is just wonderful!!!

The blue lake
A closer look!

The Red Crater, bottom view
To go back, it has to be climbed again!

Comments

[Trond]

Cool
Hello Valerio, finally I could read through your travel blog with ease, without being armed with a comprehensive Italian-Norwegian dictionary. You trip looks spectacular. Really envy you! You should repeat it when I become unemployed, so we can go together. :) Good luck further. Trond

[FF]

Finalmente
Cominciavo a preoccuparmi... Nessuno sapeva più dove ti aggirassi. Qui abbiamo votato per le politiche e non è cambiato nulla: pareggio a camera e senato. Stallo e delegittimazione di un'intera classe politica, che ora dovrebbe rinnovarsi finalmente! Ma de che... Comunque beato te che ti sei perso la campagna elettorale... Quanto resti in NZ? A presto!