I have another long drive ahead of me. A quick outdoor breakfast outside a Havelock North cafe, and then I'm back on the road. I was going to drive back to Napier, and see what it's like during the day. But I can't really spare the time, so I bypass Napier and get on Highway 5 heading for Taupo. I'm looking for the Eskdale mountain bike trails, which get good reports and seem to be in good terrain. Unfortunately, there's not much to see from the access road and there's not much point in me walking. So it's a quick trip across the road, to a cafe by the road. It's fringed by lavender fields (it turns out that lavender and lavender products are their main business). I really just want a pee, but I end up buying a piece of carrot cake and a piece of banana & chocolate cake. I'm assured they'll still be edible in Wellington (still probably 8 hours away). The rest of the road is pretty uninteresting (by New Zealand standards), writhing its way over the Ahimanawa Range that separates the northern part of Hawke's Bay from the Taupo Region. The last 30km before Taupo takes me across the southern part of the Central Plateau. There's a lot of managed forestry going on, and I keep looking around me and seeing more places that would be good for some easy cross-country mountain biking. I press on.
A few hours after leaving Havelock North, I'm finally dropping into Taupo. It's much sunnier than the last time I was here, but the summit of Ruapehu is still covered by cloud. Hungry, I park beside the lake, watching a whole load of different activities - swimming, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing. I play my part by eating the carrot cake. I take a few more photos because the weather is better than the last time I was here, and then I'm back on the road.
The clouds are moving slowly West to East, and I decide to drive round the West side of Ruapehu. I know the road, and I know it will be a nice drive. It will add a fair amount of time to my journey back to Wellington, but it's a nice day and I want to get a shot of Ruapehu if I can. Sadly, I can't. Never mind - the day has a different delight in store.
As I drive up the approach road to the ski field, I pass a couple of female backpackers walking down the hill. It's a long road, and when they reach the bottom, they'll still have quite a walk to the accommodation that sits on Highway 47. But it's a nice day, and it's all downhill. Good for them! I go as far as Chateau Tongariro, and take a few more photos.
The last time I was here, even Mount Ngauruhoe (the smaller volcano that almost seems to be in the Chateau's back garden) was obscured by cloud. This time it's clear, so I at least get a couple of shots that I didn't already have.
Happy with that, I head back down the road. There, about a mile from the junction at the bottom, are the two backpackers that I passed about 20 minutes earlier. They're probably enjoying the scenery and the fresh air and the exercise, but I stop beside them and ask if they want a lift. They're in the car almost before I finish the sentence! These girls certainly are sick of walking!
Emma (from Rochdale) and Anne-Marie (from Sheffield) are looking for the accommodation that will form their base camp for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. They have a small route map and I have a road map and, after a few minutes of twisting our necks and turning these maps in all directions, I reluctantly tell them I think they've come the wrong way. Emma (who did the Tongariro in 2003, and is therefore the expedition leader) says sheepishly "I was starting to think we might be going the wrong way". Lol! I wonder how long she'd have dared to keep that thought to herself? If I'd passed them five minutes later, they might have been brawling at the roadside. :-) Thankfully they're too tired to scuffle in the back of the car and, with their legs getting a rest, they both see the funny side. As do I. The drive back up the hill is long enough to have a good old laugh and a chat. Emma has been living in New Zealand for a couple of years and loves the place. Anne-Marie has just bought a house close to where I used to live on the South side of Sheffield. She's just visiting Emma, and she loves New Zealand too. She'll be back. Tomorrow morning they intend to do the crossing and then, at the weekend, Anne-Marie will fly back home. I tell them about looking for work, and the car ride (only a few minutes) is filled with good natured joking and nonsense. At the top, Emma goes into the Tourist Information office that they left over an hour ago, to find out where their accommodation is. She emerges with a sheepish look on her face. It's about 50 metres away! We unload their bags, wish each other good luck, have a few hugs and I give them my banana cake. They need it more than I do.
Then it really is time to drive home to Wellington. The journey is long, but uneventful. I arrive fairly late but relaxed. I need to sleep. I have an interview tomorrow.
A few hours after leaving Havelock North, I'm finally dropping into Taupo. It's much sunnier than the last time I was here, but the summit of Ruapehu is still covered by cloud. Hungry, I park beside the lake, watching a whole load of different activities - swimming, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing. I play my part by eating the carrot cake. I take a few more photos because the weather is better than the last time I was here, and then I'm back on the road.
The clouds are moving slowly West to East, and I decide to drive round the West side of Ruapehu. I know the road, and I know it will be a nice drive. It will add a fair amount of time to my journey back to Wellington, but it's a nice day and I want to get a shot of Ruapehu if I can. Sadly, I can't. Never mind - the day has a different delight in store.
As I drive up the approach road to the ski field, I pass a couple of female backpackers walking down the hill. It's a long road, and when they reach the bottom, they'll still have quite a walk to the accommodation that sits on Highway 47. But it's a nice day, and it's all downhill. Good for them! I go as far as Chateau Tongariro, and take a few more photos.
The last time I was here, even Mount Ngauruhoe (the smaller volcano that almost seems to be in the Chateau's back garden) was obscured by cloud. This time it's clear, so I at least get a couple of shots that I didn't already have.
Happy with that, I head back down the road. There, about a mile from the junction at the bottom, are the two backpackers that I passed about 20 minutes earlier. They're probably enjoying the scenery and the fresh air and the exercise, but I stop beside them and ask if they want a lift. They're in the car almost before I finish the sentence! These girls certainly are sick of walking!
Emma (from Rochdale) and Anne-Marie (from Sheffield) are looking for the accommodation that will form their base camp for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. They have a small route map and I have a road map and, after a few minutes of twisting our necks and turning these maps in all directions, I reluctantly tell them I think they've come the wrong way. Emma (who did the Tongariro in 2003, and is therefore the expedition leader) says sheepishly "I was starting to think we might be going the wrong way". Lol! I wonder how long she'd have dared to keep that thought to herself? If I'd passed them five minutes later, they might have been brawling at the roadside. :-) Thankfully they're too tired to scuffle in the back of the car and, with their legs getting a rest, they both see the funny side. As do I. The drive back up the hill is long enough to have a good old laugh and a chat. Emma has been living in New Zealand for a couple of years and loves the place. Anne-Marie has just bought a house close to where I used to live on the South side of Sheffield. She's just visiting Emma, and she loves New Zealand too. She'll be back. Tomorrow morning they intend to do the crossing and then, at the weekend, Anne-Marie will fly back home. I tell them about looking for work, and the car ride (only a few minutes) is filled with good natured joking and nonsense. At the top, Emma goes into the Tourist Information office that they left over an hour ago, to find out where their accommodation is. She emerges with a sheepish look on her face. It's about 50 metres away! We unload their bags, wish each other good luck, have a few hugs and I give them my banana cake. They need it more than I do.
Then it really is time to drive home to Wellington. The journey is long, but uneventful. I arrive fairly late but relaxed. I need to sleep. I have an interview tomorrow.
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