Vintage Volcanos

We purchased online-deal tickets for the Sky Waka Gondola on Mount Ruapehu in the Tongariro National Park. It's hard to not enjoy a 40% savings contingent on arriving for the opening ride of the day at 10am.

Breakfast was at a local cafe before leaving Ohakune. We saw army soldiers again doing a routine drill walking around town in full combat gear, including firearms. It seemed a bit like a movie set between filming, as nothing exciting was transpiring, nor was there anyone else on the sidewalks 👀 😅 at this early hour of the day.

Once on the road, we stopped nearby at a commemorative historical site where the last spike was hammered in when two ends of the railway were connected in 1908.

We were a few minutes early for the ride up the mountain. Only a handful of people were there at this hour so we enjoyed a cabin to ourselves. Once onboard the gondola ride was pretty spectacula over the old volcanic rocky landscape. The streaming audio guide had some fun facts, including the $100,000 cost of the cabin we were riding in 💵👍!

After disembarking we meandered up the Sky Ridge trail. It took us just under half an hour to make it to the top. Not much in the way for vast scenic viewing due to the clouds, but some patience provided a few windows for photos. We also noticed some condensing moisture on us from the clouds/mist while traversing the ridge.

After our hike and decent on the gondola we were back on the road again, heading towards Lake Taupo. Quiet the juxtaposed landscape going from a rocky dessert to sub-alpine, then to forests and shrubed hillsides.

We stopped at Saddle View Point for a late afternoon snack. The view overlooking Lake Taupo, the largest in New Zealand, is epic! It was a "fine" day as they usually forecast, about 21C, and the sunbeams were their usual roasty hot ♨️

Once in Tuapo we headed out to explore the area on foot. We eventually arrived at the public Spa Park Hot Pools; a series of cascading pools of varying temperatures next to the Waikato River. It was nice to enjoy a soak with the late afternoon sun.

We then walked back to the lake front for dinner outdoors on the restaurant's sidewalk. Dinner was nice, though portions a bit small. The cocktails were correct, but watered down with soda water 🤔?! Weird.

Afterwards we shared a tiramisu gelato from the popular store around the corner and enjoyed it on the short walk back to the lake front accommodations.Read more