Tongariro Crossing - North Island.

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Tongariro crossing...so different from any other hike I have ever done...it was just incredible....

I started a little dubious and after a lack of sleep - our second night in teh van and it was freezing we woke not as cranky as i thought in the carpark and headed on our 8 hour hike...... The climb being at peak 1200 meters was pretty high although what height we started at I do not know....crossing a transalpine landscape along very weelldone board walks looked pretty easy , however, what was to come was a little more challenging !!!

After an hour hiking we started to really climb - it was fun...steep and loose rock but there was plenty of people before and after us to fall on.... we hit the 2 and a half hour mark and we are crossing a moonlike landscape ...absolutely incredible...

WE climbed and climbed and yet still more lakes untill we reached the top and the view was more than worth it...the photo's will explain the journey!!! Anyway we ate our crackers and headed for teh decent which was a run and slide route down a volcanic hill and by the way was the best part!!!!

All in all the trip took us only around 5 hours with stops and pee breaks...

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