A week long road trip, part two.

Hello again readers and friends, always nice to have you visiting with sprinklings of the odd sweet comment!
Well next on my road trip was why my whole trip was planned, to enjoy walking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing located in the central part of the North Island of New Zealand.
I meet up with a group of other keen trampers in Omori, a small holiday home area at the southern end of Lake Taupo. As a group of 13 we spread ourselves over two baches (the kiwi name for a holiday home). Weather wise Easter Friday would have been the best day to complete the crossing but some of the group was still arriving. So we happily did some smaller walks around Omori in the morning then after a bite to eat for lunch we headed off to walk around Lake Rotopounamu.

It was a magic day the views so beautiful and ever so peaceful. I enjoyed hearing seeing the native birds zipping in and out of the trees.

Bright and EARLY the next morning........4.30am early!! We got up had breakfast, do you know it is just strange having breakfast at that hour! We wanted to head off nice and early to beat the crowds...............well many others had the same idea. Apparently Easter Saturday is the busiest day of the year to do the crossing. Here I am after day break about 1 1/2 hours after starting, this was when the climbing started!

A small section of people ahead, a family with a six year old daughter and eight year old son. There was even a man that was partially sighted. See the mist/drizzle that we were heading for?

                                             Several signs like these could be off putting!

Coming to the Blue Lakes was breath taking,oh please please let the mist clear...................................

 And it did!!!!! Whoopwhoop!!

I had made it! My dream come true, I was over the moon the mist had cleared and the wind that threatened to blow us off the mountain had taken leave..............at least for now!
The wind on some of the narrow ridges was incredibly strong, I was not the only one a wee bit scared.

Looking back on the loose scoria ridge in the barren moon crater like paradise was beautiful to me.

Further along was our descent, here you can see Lake Rotoaira in the front and the mighty Lake Taupo in the background.

This tramp was like a busy highway of people from all over the world, chattering away in their mother tongue. Another one of those signs to keep you guessing!

We made it back to our cars then off to a much needed soak in the Thermal hot pools!
The next chapter of my week long trip sees me spending time with my granddaughter and visiting another mountain!