Day 21 - Tongariro National Park!!!

At Tongariro National Park. You can see the mountain that served as mount fuji in the last samurai off in the distance, as well as mount doom from lord of the rings. I'm properly cold for the first time this trip. We're quite a ways up from sea level, so I suppose it makes sense. And I am staying at a ski lodge :) Makes me regret leaving behind my gloves somewhere else. I might bring socks to put on my hands just in case. They're kind of like mittens, right?

The lodge we're staying at is really beautiful. I'm staying in this loft room with 3 other girls, and its beautiful with proper mattresses, aswell as a fridge, desk, etc. The place is a bit isolated, so there's not much to do besides hiking in the area. No shops around, so we stocked up yesterday with supplies. I think I may have forgotten some of the food I intended to have for lunch on the bus, which is currently partway to the ski hill, so well see how that goes. Worst comes to worst, I don't mind heading to this nice railway cafe down the road.

As there's not much to do in the lodge proper, I'm planning on booking myself on activities for most of the day. This morning I'll be doing a 2 hour horseback ride around the area, and then this afternoon I'm hoping to do a plane ride over the Tongariro Mountain, as well as Mount Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu in the afternoon. Not quite sure which is which, but between them is Mount Doom and Mordor from Lord of the Rings, as well as Mount Fuji from the Last Samurai.

Hope is currently off doing the Tongariro Crossing, which will apparently have views of the same points. The Tongariro crossing is meant to be the best one day hike in new Zealand, but at 8hrs and 19km, definitely not my speed. And given that you have to pay a guide, and I would have had to hire equipment, it doesn't actually cost that much more to get the plane tour of the area instead. Only problem is that the tour company isn't responding to phonecalls at the moment - The receptionist is still trying to confirm on my behalf but we'll see how that goes. One of the other staff members says that the morning fog we have at the moment usually prevents flights from leaving in the morning, but that getting an afternoon departure should be feasible.

Anyways, going to move near to the fireplace. my hands are starting to get cold sitting here. I'll have internet available the whole time I'm here, so will try to post some pictures later.