Mark Smalley

Wednesday, 16 Mar - Turangi
Leave at 0920, calling in at Visitor Information to say goodbye to Wendy from the B&B, who works there part-time.

We fuel up at 763 km, 26 l for $32.

Some of our clothes are still damp after yesterdays soaking but the car heater with airco works wonders.

It's showery in Napier on the east coast but the weather changes for the better as we get over the ridge towards Lake Taupo and Turangi. We're there at 1330 (196 km, now 952 in total) and get directed to Judges Pool Motel (www.judgespoolmotel.co.nz ), close to the river (Turangi is the trout fishing capitol of the world),. The $80 units are big, with a seperate sitting room / kitchen with fridge, always an added bonus. The motel also has a spa pool.

We've come to Tongariro Mountains to do some walking. We tell the lady at Turangi Visitor Information we're thinking about doing the Crossing, a 17 km, 7-8 hour "challenging" trek, climbing and descending 1000 m but rewarding you with a close-up view of craters and the Emerald Lakes. The lady sizes us up. I'm still puffing from the walk from the carpark to the office. "I'd go for something less strenuous if I were you", she advises. She starts with a 15 min loop track suitable for wheelchairs but we convince her we're up to more than that. The best compromise seems to be the 17 km, 5-6 hour return walk in tussock and alpine herbfield to the Tama Lakes, situated on the saddle between, and offering good views of the two main mountains but climbing no more than 200 m and less hard-going. "And you can always turn back if it gets too tough" she adds as a parting thought.

We walk for about an hour along the Tongariro River before returning to Visitor Information to see about flights over the craters and lakes. From $70 for 15 min.

We seem to have brought the rain with us. There's even a bit of thunder. Hasn't rained for yonks, the female-half of the owners remarks. They're the new owners of the motel, having moved from a too hectic lifestyle in Sydney. .

The supermarket provides us with bacon, salad, coleslaw, yoghurt (they have good yoghurt here) etc for a meal at the motel.

But before that we make use of the cozy spa, with the rain falling on the roof.

posted by Mark Smalley @ 4:56 PM