Turangi- Tongariro Junction

We were up with the birds — and the early traffic — this morning. A brisk breeze swept in off Lake Rotorua, but the sky was clear and promised a beautiful day ahead. We skipped breakfast, opting instead for quick showers and freshly brushed teeth before heading into Rotorua for a Wild Bean coffee fix and a quick catch-up with brother Keith at Temprite.

The drive down to Turangi was smooth and uneventful, the kind of easy road trip where the scenery rolls by and the kilometres disappear without fuss. When we arrived at the motor camp, we parked up and settled in just as Mark and Karen pulled in — perfect timing.

A little later, we ventured into town and struck gold at a fantastic op shop. The rest of Turangi, however, was a bit underwhelming — not much to see or do — so I dubbed it a “half-horse town.” Back at camp, we tackled the challenging job of doing absolutely nothing… and did it remarkably well.Read more