Tongariro Northern Circuit - Tag 1

Wow. I did it in 2 days! It was hard, but totally worth. 🗻
It is signed out as a 3 - 4 day trip. Yeei. 🎉
I knew that this will get hard today. It was the same time like I'd needed for the other way, but the 2h for the tama lakes not included. And I started really late, because the man from the DOC Visitor Center needed much time to cancel my campsite and then he gave me to much money back, so I had to run back to my car and get my credit card, that I can pay him the difference. A woman, who worked there too, told me there's a heavy storm and it's too dangerous to walk the direction I decided.
Actually I wanted to start in the other direction, but there was a storm ( again ) so I couldn't do the Alpine Crossing at that day.💨
Think it follows me. 👣
I started in Whakapapa at 9.13.
The scenerie isn't that nice I hoped, but there's so much more I didn't know.
I walked the extra walk to the Tama Lakes. I arrived at 10.45. The Lower Tama was really cool to see, cause it was not that tourquoise blue like the glacier lakes. It was dark blue. A vulcan lake. 🌋
I tried to find the Upper Tama, but no one was walking rhis track and there were no signs since 3 mountains ago, so I decided to go back. Maybe I passed it and it was in clouds. ☁
I found me back on the way at 12.02.
The weather was misty and it rained a lot.
First I thought it's so boring. Than there came a great forest section, but too short. I like to be in the forest more, than beeing at a wide open place.
The rain annoyed me and I really wanted to get to the hut. I was so thankful to have a warm bed. I upgradet to a hut, 'cause I really didn't wanna camp in the snow for another night. ⛺
I came along the Old Waihohonu Hut. The oldest hut in New Zealand. The first in the NP. 🏡
Funny to see how they lived in the huts years ago. Men and women had different rooms. The men's were much bigger with a table for playing cards. The other one was so small. Can't imagine how they cooked in that. 🍳 I read the information signs and had lunch in the hut. Good place for hiding from rain. I enjoyed the place and the rain smell till 13.59.
Not far away I wanted to camp first. Good, that I canceld that. It was too early to stop walking.
I arrived at Oturere Hut at 16.29. This would be the place I sleep in for the night.
This hut was a nice experience. The people in the hut were all friendly and I talked to everyone and heared their travel storys. That was great. Some played cards, a few cooked, one played a banjo. I felt like in a pub. So cool. I writed down my times and read in my book. Most time just looked around and enjoyed the atmosphere. A talk here and there. This is how it could be every evening.
Strangers become friends for one night. Just having a good time.
The ranger got in and asked us for our name, 3 hobbies and our chief before we get 90. That was a nice game. I love that game. I said my 3 fav hobbies are downhill biking, kite surfing and making some music. Before I get 90 I wanna travel the world. 🌏 New Zealand is a good start, I think.
She told us nearly everything about her life, the job and the park. Interesting somehow.
There was a fireplace in the middle of the room and after going to toilet, 100m away from the hut, in the rain, I'd sat me in front of it before I was going to bed.
The night was okay. The guy to my left was farting all night long, the guy to my right was snarching sometimes ( but that's not bad to me ), the couple that was sleeping over me talked and laughed all night long. But it was warm inside the hut and that was really great. Thanks for the fire. 🔥Read more