Auckland and Taupo

On top of Tongariro Mountain [1978m].

Hi People!

I've been in New Zealand now for more than a week. I was off to a slow start in Auckland since A- I was staying in a great hostel and B- I needed to get organised (in the brain) about my trip trough NZ.

In Auckland I have visited some vulcanic hills: Mount Eden and the next day Rangitoto. Mt. Eden is in the middle of the city, and on top you have a great view of Auckland. You can also see (in the photographs aswell) the green hills dotted troughout the city: these are all vulcanos! Really something. Especially cool to see a group of cows grazing in the crater of the vulcano.

Rangitoto is the youngest volcano in Auckland. It emerged out of the sea some six hundred years ago. That event has been thouroughly imbedded into Maori (native New Zealanders) culture- they have a gods that are linked to the vulcanic activity of the island. I took a ferry from the harbour of Auckland and dit a 12km walk around the island (which is mostly deserted accept from some holiday homes around the coast). It was great.

After Auckland I travelled to Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the biggest lake on the southern hemisphere and was created in a hug volcanic explosion 1800 years ago. The Romans and the Ancient Chines recored that for months the earth recieved much less sunlight! I am happy to not have been here during that explosion! The lake is 30x40km... imagine.

Anyway, the first day I spent walking around and hinking along a river that flows out of the lake, towards some nice waterfalls. Great walk- the water was so nice and clear (and the weather was great too).

Yesterday however, I spent the whole day hinking in the mountains. This was incredible. Simply amazing. The walk I did was Tongariro Alpine Crossing- wich takes you trough some of the most amazing volcanic landscapes in the world. For people who know Lord of the Rings: this is the Mount Doom region (large vulcano with red topping you see in pictures). It was an all day, 23km hike (I did some side-tracks which made it better but also a bit tougher).

I hope the picture show a little bit about the trip because in reality it is simple flabbergasting- mindblowing- insainely wicked. What a trip! See the black lavaflow, the emerald turqouise lakes, the snowtops, the popped red blister, the steam and vulcanic fumes coming out of a valley, and mount Doom in the

PICTURES

What a trip am I making! This is what I came for! Can it get better than this??

Bas.