Day 12 - The Tongariro Crossing

I had an early start on day 12, and so I suffered for the previous night's antics at the Poker table. After a quick brekkie I got my stuff together and headed out to wait on the bus. When it arrived I was disconcerted to find none of the others on it, but I just assumed that they were on another bus. Despite trying my best not to, I fell back asleep on the bus and I awoke when we stopped at a hire store, where people were given the opportunity to hire walking poles or boots. I decided to stick with my comfy trainers and then we headed out towards the track. I felt much better for the sleep and I got ready to set off as soon as we arrived. I assumed that the other guys were probably ahead and resigned myself to doing the trail alone. Lucky I had brought my I-pod. After 20 mins of walking I reached the Mangatepopo hut and stopped to use the toilet. i also grabbed a quick snack before heading on my way. I reached the path and ended up behind a familiar looking group. Believe it or not, I had found the other Guys, Ingmar, Anouk, Paddy and Emma. We headed on and found the path to Soda Springs to be quite easy. We stopped there for a short while before heading on to tackle the Devil's steps. I kid you not, they were EVIL. They seemed to go on forever, and each new flight of steps up the mountain made your thighs burn even more. By the end, I was about ready to turn and head back, if it wasn't for the fact that I'd have to go down the steps. I pushed myself, and found that we were in a large, flat crater. It was so amazing to find this strange plateau on the mountain, almost an acre of completely flat, desolate landscape. Apart from the steady stream of walkers, of course. We reached another climb, which was tough, and then stopped at the high point for a break. We decided to push on slightly further before stopping to have lunch. We stopped for lunch on a rocky area next to the red crater, and the views of the route ahead and the green and blue lakes was amazing. Paddy was slightly concerned, however, because we were on top of a volcano and there was steam. I explained to him that it was normal, but he didn't seem convinced, and so I told him that the ground was also hot. After that we decided to head off and we set off down a slope which seemed to me to be like a vertical cliff. Paddy helped to talk me down slowly, and we leaned into the slope and sort of jumped down, allowing the gravel to slow our descent. We reached the bottom in one piece (thankfully) and set off along the track toward the blue lake. Just before the blue lake there was a small climb, which seemed like no problem until I got a touch of extremely painful cramp in my knee. I stumbled the rest of the way to the lake, and then stopped and sat for awhile. I seemed ok after a rest, and I continued on towards the Kaitiahe hut. The path was quite cruel, because although the hut wasn't far away, the path kept zig-zagging and it took a good hour or two to reach. When I arrived I caught up with Paddy and Emma, and joined the very long line for the toilet. By the time I had finished, Ingmar and Anouk had arrived. I waited for them and we stopped for food. Emma and Paddy went on ahead and I set off later with Ingmar and Anouk. We walked down a still winding track and after we passed a sign showing that we were at the last of the 16.9 kilometers, we descended into what was almost rain forest. I went on ahead of the girls, and the last k seemed endless, walking through this dense forest. After what seemed like hours I finally arrived, exhausted, at the bus pick-up point. Ingmar and Anouk arrived about 10 mins later. The buses arrived after about half an hour and I got put onto the same bus as the guys, because the other bus had to wait for some stragglers. When I arrived back at the hostel the first thing I did was book the bus to the hot spa. It was gorgeous for my aching muscles, and the hour or so I spent there did me the world of good. I had no trouble sleeping that night.

Day 10 - Rotorua - Wasted Plans, A Pool and a Trip to the Cinema

I had planned to go for a walk on day 10. I was gonna explore some of the natural geothermal areas in Rotorua. The weather changed that, though. It was raining when I got up to go for a walk, and so I decided to go and find something else to do. First, I researched some more on the Tongariro Crossing at the I-site. Then I took a stroll through the town where I came upon an indoor shooting range. I took a few shots with an air rifle, and, upon hitting nothing, gave up. I then ambled about town until I came upon the cinema. Oh, well. Why not catch a movie? I watched Sherlock Holmes and I quite enjoyed it. I then headed back to the hostel and took a swim in the pool, as it had stopped raining. I the went back to the room, where I got chatting to one of the other guests, and we talked about our travels for quite a while. It's just a shame that I can't remember the guy's name. After that, It was yet another early night for me.

Day 9 - Auckland to Rotorua - Friends, Hobbits and a Walk in the Woods

On the day of the bus to Rotorua I waited outside the base hostel I was staying at, and waited for the bus. The bus didn't come at the proposed time, so I waited some more. After a little while longer, I got a bit worried, and I decided to wait a short while longer. Luckily, the bus did turn up. The driver, Murray, told me that I was supposed to be at the Magic office, and I told him that I was told to be at the hostel. He told me not to worry, since he had come to check and it was all good, so I got on the bus. When I got on to the bus, I started talking to Emma, a doctor from Guernsey who was living in Ireland, and had been on the bus the day before. She was travelling with her roommate, Paddy. I also got talking to Ingmar and Anouk, two Dutch girls who had also been on the bus from Paihia the previous day. Our first stop of the day was at the top of Mount Eden, where you can get 360 degree views of Auckland City. It was from here that Ingmar made a couple of calls and got accommodation for herself, Anouk, Paddy and Emma. We then headed down and out of the city towards the town of Thames, our first stop of the day. We Stopped for a break here, and The five of us visited to grocery store and decided to get some meat and veges and have a barbecue that evening at their hostel. We also discussed the possibility of doing the Tongariro crossing together. The next stop was Paeroa (again), and it was here that I met Pugsy Jr Jr, Emma's mascot who has pictures taken everywhere. She has more at home who are bigger, and these are called Pugsy and Pugsy Jr. I took the initiative and decided to bring out Edwin, a small teddy bear that my mum had given me, and so Edwin T Bear got the first of a few photos taken. The next stop of the day was Matamata, also known as Hobbiton. Here we got some more pictures of Edwin and Pugsy, and some of me in my kilt. We arrived into Rotorua shortly after 3pm and headed first to Tamaki heritage village for those who were going to the cultural show that evening to pick up their tickets. We then headed to Whakarewarewa Maori Village (pronounced Phuka rewa rewa). We dropped off all those that were visiting, which included Emma, Paddy, Ingmar and Anouk, and the rest of us headed off to the redwood forest. I decided to draw some inspiration from a certain nursery rhyme, and i took many photos of 'Edwin's Forest Adventure'. After that, we headed back to Whakarewarewa to pick up the rest of the guys before hostel drop-off. I got dropped off last, and I checked in and got my stuff together before I headed off to the barbecue at the other guys' hostel. We had sausages, steaks and salad and it was gorgeous, and really filling. After I had bid them goodnight, I headed down to an Internet cafe for a while, before going back to the hostel for an early night.