Auckland to National Park Village

After breakfast, I made my way to the bus terminal nearby at the Sky Tower. The bus to National Park Village took more than six hours, but it was comfortable and far more civilized than the bus rides I took in Southeast Asia. The bus made stops at Hamilton and Taumarunui, and I explored the surrounding areas at these two points. Other stops en route included the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and the Te Awamutu rose gardens.

I arrived at National Park Village around 3pm and walked a short distance to Howard’s Motor Lodge, my home for the next three nights. After checking in, I booked my transport to and from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and a packed lunch with Rachel, a young Englishwoman in NZ on a working visa, which is a program available to young Commonwealth citizens. Singapore didn’t participate in this program when I was young, otherwise I would have done it.

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