All the hiking buffs (tramping in the New Zealand language) arranged to meet here for certainly the finest one-day trek we can enjoy on the kiwis' land. During the Tongariro crossing, several choices are possible to extend the path such as the ascent of the Ngauruhoe volcano. We'll opt for climbing this almost-perfectly-conical volcano.
In the morning, we take the shuttle from the National park village to go to the beginning of the route. We get in the lands of the Mordor. A few years ago, within this barren and dark area, Peter Jackson settled the headquarters of the nasty orks for his trilogy "the Lord of the ring". Debris of volcanic rock strew the uneven scenery of the trek. Everything is only dark red and black.
We turn on the right to walk the steep slope of the volcano. Our feet sink into a mixture of mud and pumice. The sun burns. Droplets of sweat stand out in beads on the face. We climb with a lot of difficulty, our steps are so uncertain on the unstable parts. After an one-hour effort, we reach the summit. Smokes escape from the puffy stones. The crest outlines the snow-covered crater where we peer the lunar panorama from. A 360° mind-boggling vista. Sterilized and dark mountains suddenly welcoming and intoxicating.
We walk down through the scree. An acrobat exercise to avoid falling down. A jealous climbing hiker insults us shouting that our stupid games trigger off avalanches of stones. Sheer envy of our refined style. I sit down to keep on going down a sheet of snow. The speed overwhelms me. The 2 hands and 2 feet aren't enough to stop me and I fininsh into the rocks. I'm all right with only a sprain at a finger and a painful ankle. But I perhaps broke the record of the fastest descent of the volcano!
A the bottom of the volcano, we empty all we collect during the descent from our shoes and we start again the normal path of the Tongariro crossing. A gentle slope our tired bodies take it and suddenly forget in front of the spectacle which faces us.
A red and black monument, a sort of volcanic, rocky grottoe and 3 lakes with colours that only nature can give. The science will explain these are deposits of sulphur. Our eyes are far from all these rational explanations. They dip again into this other world we don't want to leave any more. Every trekker walks in slow motion or stops, the faces twisted by the stunning beauty.
We decide to have the lunch on this unreal ground. A little bit of rice before starting the long descent to the valley. The multi-hued show is behind us. Our minds seem ethereal, relieved by so many beautiful things.
The Tongariro Crossing : let you write it down in the page "must do in New Zealand".
Keyword - freedom -
Monday 26 November 2007
Chromatic delirium on the Tongariro Crossing
By dorian on Monday 26 November 2007, 19:59 - RTW-New Zealand
Saturday 24 November 2007
Paddling in Marlborough sound
By dorian on Saturday 24 November 2007, 21:29 - RTW-New Zealand
Time goes by and here we are again at the north end of the south island. A little bit less than three weeks we live at a high rate. But how could it be in another way when we thing about all the activities and the diversity of the landscapes that form this island?
From the landing stage of Picton, we distinguish the endless comings and goings of the ferries. Two companies, Blue Bridge and Inter Islander share the juicy business of the cruises between the two islands. But before driving northwards to Auckland, we decide to spend a few days here. Not to vegetate in the quiet streets of the village but enjoying this time in a kayak.
A 3-day short expedition. We fill the waterproof compartments with some food and camping gears and we leave the beach to venture on to the fjord. The first part consists in crossing the sound that separates us from the opposite bank. Trees and shrubs brush against the water. The shore is a heaven of curves, twists and creeks. A delicately chiseled scenery where numerous small beaches interrupt the greenish tangle of the vegetation. A brown rock sometimes breaks through the green curtain and displays its set of mussels which delights us more than once. One of these short beaches welcomes us for the lunch.
With the stomach full, we start again for a short stage towards another creek and another beach where we set up the camp. First night in the greenery of Marlborough Sound.
The next morning, we take down the tent, we divide the load into the waterproof compartments and start again for the coastal discovery. A slight ripple sprays us and a morning breeze makes our paddling more difficult. We explore the jagged coast outline and row up to the end of the fjord where we set up our tent on a new beach. A relaxed night sandwiched by the calm water of the sound and the emerald fence of the forest.
Third and last day, we paddle into every creek that leads us to Picton. The coastal contour sometimes belongs to rich Neawzealanders where a big villa looks over a private beach and a wooden landing stage. We hop off the kayak on a last beach for a delicious lunch. Pleasure of these last spots of nature before going back to the pier.
Tuesday 20 November 2007
The exhausting ascent of Avalanche peak
By dorian on Tuesday 20 November 2007, 21:14 - RTW-New Zealand
It turns out to be hard to make a choice between the appealing sceneries of the coastal road and the voluptuous curves of the asphalted ribbon that opens to the mountains of the middle of the island. At the chance of a bend, we turn on the left and dip again into the New Zealand Alps for a day. A blend of wooden houses mark the boundaries of the Arthur's Pass village. A small fistful of tourists converge here, most of them tempted by the ascent of the 1000m-overhead Avalanche peak.
The next morning, we start the ascent. Some portions liken more to rock-climbing than trekking and require a high caution. The climb seems endless. The calves burn and the water leaks through our pores to cool down the machine. Our eyes look upwards and hope for a little bit of flat land at the end of the visible path. But, after a curve, the nature makes fun of us and keeps on with an even more difficult slope. The ascent goes on and on. Then, the continuity of the forest suddenly ends and a barren hill, incrusted with patches of snow rises above the clouds. The fist up, we enjoy the last meters of the ascent. The nature, after being so exhausting, cheers us up with a panoramic vista.
A tongue of clouds devours the valley, the snow softens the raw lines of the mountains and a keas' family celebrates our arrival.
Some landscapes are picked thanks to numerous aches and repeted efforts. A shooting screenplay for masochists that finishes with a happy end : an inexpressible excitement where we are perched on the summit.
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