Tongariro Crossing

I've done this walk/run before a couple of times with Him Outdoors, but this time it was with the Weevil and family, and a very sore calf muscle. 

As I didn't want to overstretch things, I only walked as far as the South Crater with them, then let them go on ahead while I waited out of the wind for them to return. It was very peaceful sitting behind a boulder in a crater and listening to the sounds of nature.

Dad at Soda Springs

South Crater

Weevil and the Weevilettes at Red Crater

Nephew Olaf

Mount Ngauruhoe (also known as Mount Doom, apparently)

Niece Rachel

I took the following photo for Him Outdoors, as this was was the route we first attempted. Guess what the weather was like...

Taupo & Kinloch

A day out in Taupo with ma and pa involved a trip to the Crafty Trout Brewing Co. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was very tasty (we had great pizzas and crispy calamari).

The beers are all named after fly-fishing terms (such as Hook, Line, Sinker, Lure, Poacher). We tried the Hook - a Vienna Amber, which was malty, hoppy and smooth - and the Poacher - a Hefe-Weizen with subtle flavours of coriander, orange and grapefruit.

The Crafty Trout 

Walking around Taupo, I was impressed with all sorts of local artwork. This work by Lyden Over (of Lava Glass fame) was the first work commissioned by the Taupo Sculpture Trust and it stands outside the Tourist Information Centre. The 4,000 glass feathers in The Great Cloak of Tia represent the sky, lake and river (the blue/green side) and the volcanic nature of the region (the earthy brown side).

Tia was a Maori explorer and chief, who named this area after spotting some cliffs which reminded him of the colours in his cloak. The Great Cloak of Tia is Taupo-nui-a-Tia in Maori, although this name for the lake and township was later shortened to Taupo.

The Great Cloak of Tia by Lynden Over

Swell by Colleen Ryan-Priest

Even the rubbish bins had specific designs on them - my mum really liked them, so these are for her. They were also found on the side of the public toilets, and the Weevil made me take pictures of them, so I made her come with me in case of questioning as to my intentions.

Kinloch proved to be a popular spot with the young folk as they played cricket and then built 'fish' on the beach from sticks and sand.

We all ate fish and chips, which was delightful with such a backdrop. Some carried on fishing for their own supper.

White-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)

Rotopounamu, Tokaanu, and Tongariro River Track

And now for a  week in New Zealand with the Weevil, her children and the parents. It was lovely to see them all, and to revisit some beautiful parts of the country. One day we went for a walk around Rotopounamu, where it was fine enough (and warm enough) to swim in the lake at Long Beach.

Niece Rachel jumping ripples

Walks at Tokaanu are full of sulphur fumes, bubbling mud and sizzling pools. The colours are vivid and the smells intense. Bathing in the hot private mineral pool is immensely relaxing, and splashing about in the heated freshwater outdoor public pool is also fun.

Most mornings involved a jog along the Tongariro River Track, sometimes with The Weevil.

Apparently this river is world-renowned as a premier fly fishing water, and is the most fished river in the country. There are many rules and regulations for catching the rainbow and brown trout within, which seem quite complex, but I am sure that all fly-fishers worth their salt are aware of this etiquette.