I have just enough time to get in another hike this morning before I have to catch my bus back to Auckland. Before I get to the hike, let me first tell you a little about Tongariro National Park. It is New Zealand’s oldest national park (2nd in the world, Yellowstone being the oldest) and is considered a World Heritage Area. It is also home to three volcanoes, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu, which actually erupted in 1996 and 1995. The weather can be extreme and as anyone in the area will tell you, it’s highly unpredictable and can change drastically in an instant. When I first arrived at the train station it was sunny and warm, but by the time we got to the hotel less than 20 minutes later, the clouds had moved in and the temperature had dropped. Even today as I sat in the hotel lobby sipping my latte waiting to head to the bus station, I notice I can’t even see the mountain peaks today. Yesterday when I came back from my hike, I sat in the hotel lobby and enjoyed the most amazing view of the mountains in the floor to ceiling windows. Today, you would never even know there’s a mountain out there. Now back to my hike.
I take the advice of the hotel staff and head out to the Silica Rapids trail. It’s about a 2 ½ hour hike that takes you through the wetlands. It rained last night so it’s quite cold and damp this morning, just what the sick Traveling Hillbilly needs! I think I’ve been sick most of this trip. Given the drastic changes in weather, it’s not to be unexpected. But, I refuse to let it ruin my vacation. I must push on through and keep going. Haven’t I sweated this out yet?!
I stop at the local café to grab some water and fruit and am on my way. This turns out to be another beautiful trail. The scenery is different from yesterday’s hike, but beautiful none the less. Once again, I pass through thick forest, cross over bridges and see a few small waterfalls. The most interesting thing is though that the vegetation is so thick, you can’t even see the rushing water, but you can hear it and know it’s nearby. It’s the same with the trail. At times you can’t even see the trail ahead. It seems to just disappear in the brush. Then suddenly I turn a corner and there are amazing rapids running downstream. It’s interesting how the rocks are different colors along the way. The water always looks crystal clear, but the rocks beneath turn from orange, to black even to an almost white color. When I get to the actually look out point for the rapids, I can’t believe the view. I’m standing on a hill and see waterfalls to the left, waterfalls to the right and rapids straight ahead. I can’t even take it all in. The view is just overwhelming.
It truly makes you feel so small, so insignificant and alone. It feels like you are the only person left in the world. I know you’re thinking that must sound sad or upsetting, but truly it isn’t. It is something the Traveling Hillbilly hopes you all get to experience at some point in your life. It is a great moment of solitude. As much as I travel, I continue to be stunned and amazed by the beauty of this world. Each trip makes me appreciate it so much more. It makes me think twice about what more I can do to conserve our national resources. New Zealand really has made a concerted effort to preserve the natural beauty of their country. The Traveling Hillbilly commends them on the magnificent job they’ve done.
I’m typing this as I’m sitting at the bus station. Well it really isn’t a station at all; it’s a pole in front of a closed ski shop. It’s cold, it’s rainy and there’s no place to go. The hotel dropped me off so early (not sure why) so I have almost 45 minutes to kill before my bus gets here. I’m sitting under the shelter of a restaurant porch across the street. Of course the restaurant is closed as well. It’s very quiet, very cold and very wet, but it makes for a neat day.
I’m looking forward to getting back to Australia tomorrow. I’m not looking forward to having to catch a 6am flight to Sydney though! Since I have another week left and I get to Sydney at 7am, I might just rent a car and drive along the coast for a day or two before heading back to Sydney for 4 or 5 nights. We’ll see what happens.
This was an expensive little journey to do a couple of hikes, but it was well worth it. The experience here and the solitude of the place really gave me time to reflect on my journey so far. It’s been a little disorganized and even hectic at times, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
No comments:
Post a Comment