The score: Weather - 14, Craig and Bridget - 9

Craig:

We have had some really great weather days here in New Zealand… and some bad ones.  Our day in Tongariro National Park was a bad day.  Tongariro National Park sits right in the heart of the North Island’s geothermal/volcano area (the highway through it was named the “Thermal Explorer Highway”).  It also holds what is said to be the best one day hike in New Zealand.  It is called the Tongariro Alpine Crossing which takes you over and through two active volcanoes.  It offers great views of the volcanic valley below, the volcanic peaks themselves and of some sulfur laden alpine lakes.  We woke up very early in order to make the drive over to the park.  We finally made it to the park after a couple road construction delays and a world record grocery store run (we are getting pretty good…in and out).  Excitement was in the air as we started out the 10 kilometer hike to the top of the first peak.  Apparently there are excellent views the whole way up but all we saw was this:

This is what it is supposed to look like:

Sure it was cloudy when we started but as we have learned many times here in NZ, the weather can change very quickly.  The weather report called for mostly sunny skies with “fine spells.”  We had hoped for the best and it was not to be.  We hiked in about three kilometers and turned around when it started misting (which usually means rain is on the way).  The landscape we did manage to see was still worth it though.  Thousand year old lava rock accompanied by lush mountain sides was all over the place.  We decided the trip was a minor failure but it was good to get out on the trail and do some hiking anyway. 

We got back to the car and headed north once again.  We stopped at Lake Taupo, the North Island’s largest lake, for a break and continued on to a place called Huka Falls:

Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo

Huka Falls

The “falls” were more like a 100 yard section of class 5 whitewater but very cool to see.  That night we stayed at yet another great NZ campground.  It was right next to a small lake with an active population of pukeko, a native bird we have come to admire:

Pukekos

Sunrise at the campground

We arose early and got back on the road.  Bridget finally gave driving on the left a try.  She made it about three kilometers and turned the controls back over to me.  She was a natural. 

Next Stop: Rotorura (Yellowstone’s competition in the southern hemisphere)