Tag Archives: Ohakune

New Zealand, Travel Planning

17. Ohakune – Auckland

Friday, February 27: Cloudy in the morning, clearing on the way north, just a bit of rain in Taumarunui, which we missed, and rain visible in the distance around Hamilton

Chinara’s

Was up before 8:00 to finish off the bread from yesterday with what remained of the ham, and a can of Watties baked beans with sausages for breakfast. Simon called over with a final loaf of bread which I saved up for the bus trip.

The rest of the morning was spent packing and transcribing another two days of the diary. Managed to transfer €500 from a savings account to the Visa card, and with a daily limit on cash withdrawals of €600, I should be able to get the $1200 for the car together in cash for tomorrow. Read more…

GPS Tracks, New Zealand, Swimming, Topo Map

16. Ohakune: Old Coach Road

Thursday, February 26: More or less cloudy the whole day, increasing in the afternoon, but no rain

Cycling: Old Coach Road, 30.1 km
Swimming: 1200 m

Danni’s

GPS Track/Topo Map

Got up closer to 8:00 than previously the case and had breakfast before Simon turned up with his daily bread. That was the last of the eggs, so I will have to go shopping in the afternoon for something for tomorrow morning.

The Old Coach Road as a mountain bike trail was on the programme for today. I was ready to go just before 9:30 and cycling down Railway Row I seriously considered going back and trying on the breast mount for the camera. That wouldn’t have been such a good idea. Read more…

GPS Tracks, New Zealand, Photography, Tramping

14. Oturere – Tongariro Crossing – Mangatepopo – Whakapapa: Tongariro Northern Circuit 3/4

Tuesday, February 24: Rain overnight clearing to foggy and then sunny with patchy clouds

Tramping: 20.9 km

Danni’s ($200 for 3 nights)

Nick had taken one bed of the triple that I had occupied and, unfortunately, he snored – mainly when on his back, so waking him & telling him to turn over produced a significant improvement. Towards morning the snoring also started in the side position, and not much else could be done, but poke him every now and then.

Tongariro Valley
Looking back over the Tongariro Valley at sunrise
Just before 6:00 people started getting up. Two dormitories were separate from the kitchen but not by much and the third was in the bedsitter, so to speak. I boiled some water for coffee and had some salami, cracker and muesli bars for breakfast before packing my stuff outside. It looked like I would be starting the tramp today with Nick & Slater, all the others except Khalil were going in the other direction.

We pushed off around 7:30 and looking back from the first hill was a photo opportunity for another time: Sunrise over the Tongariro Valley, with fog covering the river and the sun from behind. What a pity that we had to push forward. After a longer plain we reached a lava tongue and from here onwards it was pretty steep uphill until the Crossing was reached. I left the other two behind at this point as I was coming into stride. Read more…

GPS Tracks, New Zealand, Photography, Tramping, Youtube Videos

12. Whakapapa – Waihohonu: Tongariro Northern Circuit 1

Sunday, February 22: A bit cloudy to begin with, less cloud during the day and quite warm

Tramping, 21.8 km

Waihohonu Hut (DOC, $32)

Managed to beat the compass/alarm this morning and even managed a shower. After all the work of tidying up Danni’s place opposite I wasn’t really expecting Simon to be up and he wasn’t. After the shower I made my own breakfast of muesli, 2 fried eggs and coffee. Packed the loaf of bread in with the rest of the food for the hike.

Got most of the stuff into the suitcase and dragged it down the hall, and was in good time for the bus. Two German women were coming along for the ride, one just to do the crossing, the other, Ina from Kiel was doing the circuit, albeit in clockwise direction. The bus trip was provided by Dempsey’s Buses via the Station Lodge, for $30 in cash, which I presumed to be a return ticket. Further passengers were collected along the way. After the turnoff there was a very dusty old dirt track, and at the stop everyone except me and Ina got off. Read more…

New Zealand, Travel Planning

11. Ohakune

Saturday, February 21: Cloudy at first, with some brief & light showers in the afternoon, clearing by evening. Still warm

Sue & Simon’s

Time to sleep in this morning – at least until 8:30. Simon was already up baking bread. After breakfast he offered me the use of his jeep and I went across to see how Pea was doing. She had survived decompression and was getting ready for the next adventure. I introduced myself as her chauffeur and had to explain why.

At about 11:00 drove around to her place to pick her up – too early for the bus, but I had been told that Roger & Jackie were in town having breakfast so I thought we might track them down as a final diversion before she left at 12:50. Read more…

GPS Tracks, Kayaking, New Zealand

10. Tieke Kainga – Pipiriki: Whanganui River Journey 5

Friday, February 20: Sunny, warm, with a few clouds

Kayaking: 22.1 km

Sue & Simon’s

GPS Tour

The rooster crowed at about 7:30, and I got up to boil some water for what pitiful drowned remains of the coffee were left. Not much else left for breakfast, a couple of muesli bars and an egg. Got Rebecca to give us her email address and everyone was off before we had finished packing, all except for Andrea, who didn’t want to be left to leave last, but then a couple of canoeists turned up who were leaving later from the lodge (Bridge to Nowhere Lodge). We were underway and soon overtaking the others.

We passed the Ngaporo Campsite at about the halfway point at around 11:00; Pea wanted to get a bit further before descending on the last remaining food. I spotted a shingle bank not very far past the campsite and we decided to finish off as much as we could there. Read more…

GPS Tracks, Kayaking, New Zealand, Youtube Videos

6. Taumarunui, Cherry Grove – Poukaria: Whanganui River Journey 1

Monday, February 16: Very cloudy to begin with but not as cold, reverting to sunshine with a few clouds

Poukaria Campsite (DOC, $14)

Kayaking: 35.7 km

GPS Tour
YouTube video

I awoke at about 5:30 and could hear Simon baking the ciabatta he had promised us. Was promptly up at 6:00 and had a breakfast of muesli and then scrambled eggs on toast and some coffee. Simon returned back to bed while I threw the rest of my stuff into the rucksack and a couple of shopping bags.

Pea was waiting for me at her place when I went over just before 7:00. Soon Gavin from Yeti Tours was there with his car to take us to the depot, a little scroungy looking, but these kayak people have their own laws. We had been fitted out for life jackets at the briefing yesterday and so only needed the boat, paddles and spray skirts. Then I realised I had forgotten the butter (in the fridge) and as we were leaving I asked Gavin to call past Sue & Simon’s place to pick it up. Read more…

Kayaking, New Zealand, Photography, Travel Planning

5. Ohakune

Sunday, February 15: Cold overnight due to clear skies, and clear and sunny during the day, with some clouds in the distance

Sue and Simon’s

Just after 6:00 I felt awake enough that no more sleep seemed possible but with a little relaxation I managed to fall into a lucid dream until just after 8:00.

Simon was the maitre de petit déjèuner and I had some muesli with milk, coffee and a couple of scrambled eggs with toasted ciabatta which Simon had baked himself. It was really worth eating, though I haven’t been up to much in the last couple of days. Then I had to make the mother of all lists for today, the mother of all technical days. Read more…

Kayaking, New Zealand, Travel Planning

4. Auckland – Ohakune

Saturday, February 14: A little cloudy to begin with, but then sunny with some mountain clouds

Sue and Simon’s (airbnb, $90)

Early rising was no word for it. I had wanted to be up at 6:45 but was already awake at 6:30 so went and showered, then had a coffee, toasted a danish or whatever it was that Chinara had left for me on a plate on the kitchen table. Then it was time to try to get the case to close, and by 7:25 I was ready to go. Said goodbye to Chinara through the bedroom door. Have left a small cache of books behind in one of the drawers, so will have to remember to pick them up on the 27th.

Was at the bus stop in good time and could see from the timetable that there would have been a problem taking even one bus later (7:50) than envisaged (7:40) because it was delayed by a quarter of an hour, and because of the unusual intervals in the timetable, a later bus – even if it was on time – would have been touch-and-go for the long distance bus. Read more…

Kayaking, New Zealand, Photography, Travel Planning

Countdown

It’s time for the preparations to draw to a close, after ten months. Of course, there’ll be stuff that still has to be bought because it was forgotten back at the ranch. I’m still wrangling with the car hirer about whether a larger suitcase than the current one will fit into the boot of the car I’m hiring, and that may continue for several days. I’ll at least try to pack the existing case, but I suspect that, with all the camping gear, too much will be left for the pack. Read more…