Waitomo to Wanganui

(898km to 1402km)

504 km

Dec 16 to Jan 03

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The Timber Trail - a bikers' Mecca but nice for TA hikers too!

Ken and Max ...Nice guys!....very accommodating!
Not sure if Phillip thought this out?

Darrell's digs....Ken & Max would have liked it too!

Go left... go right...go left...go left......
Piss on it...I'm taking a lower bunk.

Timber trail was a logging rail line
......hence the bridges and tunnels.

Longest suspension bridge on the Timber trail

Wet camp!

Wet crossing! ......major pain on the '42 Traverse'

Would have been a nice place to get out of the wet........
Not so much now...a volcanic eruption put it out of commission

Emerald lakes....probably more obvious in the sunshine?

The high point on the Tongariro traverse
Maybe in elevation.......pretty low by any other measure!

A rocky, bumpy, up and downy part of the traverse

.....can't remember what it's called

Last bit of the crossing....coming into Whakapapa

Done...R&R time at the Skotel lodge!

 A new section......Whakapapa to Wanganui river

Much warmer now!

At the river...my kayak on the left
River looks easy..... should be a piece of cake....

Unfortunately that wasn't the river....THIS is the river.
Charlie, a local Maori legend, makes it look easy....standing up no less!
Everyone else runs the chance of dumping here. 

At camp....and drying out time for the less skilled

These are the 50/50 rapids ....................(50% dump - 50% don't)
These guys were part of the lesser 50% and promptly dumped after this picture!

They might have tried harder if they'd realized the river is full of these eels
(they are called 'Tuna' by the Mauri!....not sure why)

Made it to Pipiriki.....Didn't dump at all......Not complaining!

Last section......Pipiriki to Wanganui....by bike 79km

Last hundred yards into Wanganui......Just in time
Could barely sit on the seat anymore!
'Rest Day' here I come!

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Coaches Corner

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This ostrich fell in love with Darrell....

Even did the dating dance........

Darrell fixed him.....ostrich eggs for dinner!

Our rest day in 'Benneydale'.....not too shabby!

A Maori of royal descent.....very knowledgeable about Maori history and very happy to share it.

Here we have the tools of warfare and a Maori war idol (made the last bit up since I don't remember exactly)

The Maori people  are related to our Inuit and use the same greeting.....nose rubbing!

That was how we said farewell to our Mauri friend!

 

Here's our Royalty....Breakfast with Santa!

This is where we caught up to Darrel and hiked out with him

Chateaux Tongariro with Mt. Ruapehu in the background

A ski resort town along the lines of Banff or Whistler but smaller

of

New Zealand has no nasty critters that want to kill you

so the Kiwis' make these guys to even things up!

Beware the killer Kiwi!!

The famous (infamous?) 'Bridge to Nowhere'

Used to go somewhere but the area has been abandoned and is now jungle again

Had to go and see it of course!

The Bridge is at the end of the 'Mangapurua trak' and these canoes are

dropped off for trekkers coming off the trail.......The river is the only way out!

Sandy at the head of the line getting her spot on our canoe!

Our 'canoe'.....a jet boat........much better!

These boats are used to move people, canoes and bikes up and down the river!

Till the next post!!