NZ: Day Six: One Doesn't Simply Walk Into Mordor

It really was a painfully early morning, with the alarm going off at 4.45am. I jumped out of bed, preventing the desire to snuggle under the duvet for a bit longer, and thought about my priorities. Tea. That would wake me up, and start the day right. I also grabbed a cereal bar, had to get the carbs in for our long hike! We were picked up by the shuttle bang on 5:20, and not long after we'd found a seat we were both zonked out.

An hour and a bit later, we had arrived at the Mangatepopo carpark, and the beginning of the Tongariro Crossing. First we had to sign in, providing phone numbers, and all the emergency contact details - glad this bit was thorough and that we weren't on our own out there. The team then checked that we had everything we needed, and offered the chance to hire some hiking equipment. We both knew that Ben's trusty-but-kind-of-falling-apart Vans might not make the journey, he opted to hire a pair of boots. 

This was it, after months of going back and forth over whether this hike would be too much of a challenge, we were about to find out. We set off on our 19.4km hike just after 7, with low misty clouds, and dew still on the ground. Naturally, our first stop was to use the toilet. Now, I'm not sure what we were expecting but I already felt underprepared when we came face to face with the small wooden hut to the side of the track, our first obstacle. The toilet itself was not an issue, until we realised there was no toilet paper and we hadn't thought to bring anything. Born problem solvers, there was one clear solution... Insurance documents to the rescue. 

We were quickly back on track, complete with possible awkward paper cuts and carrying our own talisman for the day - the soiled papers now tucked in the side pocket of my rucksack. They were soon forgotten as the landscape opened up in front of us. This was the 'easy bit' with an obvious path to follow, so we could enjoy the views without having to worry too much about where our feet were taking us. Walking towards Soda Springs, there were trickles of the stream every now and then, and small waterfalls poking through the marshy flora around us. I took photo after photo, capturing the  sights. We were surrounded by mountains, but couldn't see the summits yet, instead were teased with half peaks hidden in the clouds. We were last off our coach, but were by no means alone on the track, with friendly trekkers visible ahead and behind us. This was the kind of moorland walks I was used to - not too taxing, gradual incline, easy paths.

Of course it wasn't to last and a sign reminded us of the dangers that lay ahead, telling us we could turn back if the weather was too bad or we were finding it harder than expected. I was feeling great, the sun was poking through now and Ben was spurring me on! We were hyped up and ready to continue, despite now looking at a slightly less steady incline. Devil's Staircase was to see us climb 200m over about 300 steps. Here we go... My old enemy of stairs had reared it's ugly head.  I conquered the steep journey by taking it slow and steady and once again taking too many photos - yes at times I did just take pictures to cover up for me needing another break to get my breath back... But this wasn't a race and I had nothing to prove.

The views from the plateau of South Crater were well worth it, the clouds had lifted once again and we were surrounded by volcanic ridges and peaks. The flora and fauna of before had disappeared, now was just stones and loose mud underfoot, with remnants of snow and ice in patches on the mountain tops. It felt like walking in another world. The flat walk across the crater was short but sweet, the smooth path ran out as we were very quickly confronted with the next climb that was waiting for us.

The climb up and along the very exposed ridge to see the Red Crater saw the most rewarding views so far. It was so dramatic, with endless stunning views. I can't put into words just how stunning it actually was, honestly just google it! We could see our route so far, down into the valley, with the Kaimanawa Ranges all around us - volcanic activity had left its mark on the landscape. Large crevices and weird rock formations surrounded the area. I was super proud of us plodding along and getting this far, and we were only about 3hrs in. We paused here to soak up the view and take some pictures - this was the highest point of the crossing at 1886m. It would all be downhill from here!

Our next landmark could be seen from the ridge, The Emerald Lakes, getting there would be interesting to say the least. Covered with scree, the descent was steep and tricky. It felt like we were doing a weird combination of surfing and ice-skating but on rock? Such a weird sensation, my shoes were filling with the tiny shards of rock and stone that made it oh so difficult. It was so hard to keep your balance with nothing to really grip, we watched one overconfident guy attempt to run down. Silly boy. Within seconds he had fallen and slid a good few metres on his butt. Our patience and cautious steps were rewarded with a slip-free walk - and a clearing in the clouds revealing Mount Doom (Mount Ngauruhoe)!! Such a cool sight, there was an option to take a detour up it, but we knew our limits (physically and time wise).

The smell that hit when finally arriving at the lakes was reminiscent of our time in Rotorua, but the water was so much brighter than anything we'd seen so far. The bright green was a result of minerals from the surrounding rocks, we found a perch and just sat admiring the view and colours. Surprisingly, I was quite used to the sulphur smell now, but we did have a hike to finish so couldn't relax for long. 

Walking away from the boiling waters, we could still see the steam rising behind the rocks and giving away their location.  Once again, a clear path presented itself to follow around the edge of the Central Crater, where we saw more patches of snow and ice. The first signpost we'd seen since the beginning informed us that we had walked 9km, there was still 10.4km until the end point! I couldn't believe we hadn't even reached halfway... Madness. Roughly 4 hours to go, I was glad to not be sliding around on the scree anymore, and actually enjoyed the gradual incline that brought us to the next beautiful pitstop. Blue Lake was notably different in colour, size, and temperature - reportedly being a cold acidic lake. It was also sacred, this meant no touching, swimming, or eating near it. 

A short walk from here was another stunning view, the visibility had improved considerably and I could now see through the mountains and valleys, and Lakes Rotoaira and Taupo in the distance. We enjoyed a slow and steady decline to the North Crater and then down what seemed to be a never ending path. I seemed to be in the minority, finding the walk down a lot easier than some of our earlier climbs - Ben was struggling with the constant strain on the knees, and I heard many other grumbles and moans around us. 

It did feel a long old walk down though, with all the excitement of the summit and the lakes behind us, we were now following a stream, zigzagging our way around and down and finally into a lush forest. I was enjoying the constant views as we walked, and was a little disappointed to lose the mountains and lakes to undergrowth and branches. It also just felt so weird to be in trees after spending all day out in the open, it was definitely a lot cooler. 

We arrived in the carpark to a waiting coach at just gone 14:30. We had made it - the Tongariro Alpine Crossing was complete. 19.4km of ever-changing landscape, beautiful views, and challenging ups (and downs) in just over 7hrs. I was beyond happy that we decided to go for it, and to have shared such an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience with Ben.

Being the last on the shuttle bus, we didn't find seats together but I could see Ben fall asleep seconds into the wheels rolling away from the carpark. He had even beat me to the snooze - unheard of. Not sure his neighbour enjoyed him using them as a pillow, but I soon found myself also waking up and whipping my head off the shoulder of the girl next to me. It had been a long day!

A shower and some leftover spag bol was very much needed, after which we took a much more relaxed amble down to the lake we had admired so fervently from above. Lake Taupo is so big we couldn't even see the end, it felt like we were looking out across the ocean. Close by was the "Worlds Coolest McDonald's", so of course we had to visit. It wasn't hard to miss, what with it being a converted aeroplane. Emblazoned with McDonald's paraphernalia, the decomissed plane just sat next to the main restaurant, complete with seats inside. So bizarre. 

With our ice-creams in hand it was back to the lake. I enjoyed just sitting and bird watching - along with some sparrows we were also visited by a black swan. Of course, I couldn't help but dip my toes in too!

What a day! Tomorrow we would making some serious tracks back towards city living. I was sad to be leaving the beautiful scenery and alpine/geothermic landscapes we had gotten used to but excited to see what was next.. must remember to empty the side pocket of my bag....