Lake Waikaremoana and Taupo

Its been non-stop since my last blog entry. Frank and I left Gisborne for Lake Waikaremonana for a four day hike. This was fantastic, we had to carry all provisions and tens etc for the four days. We camped the first night in a super camp site next to the lake. Here we left our car and were taken by boat to the start of the walk. You really are entering the wilderness in a way you can't in England sice the nearest road or anything is where we left the car. The walk has various huts and spots designated for camping. There is only rainwater, pit loos, no electric and dorm accomodation but after hard days tramping these huts are like heaven. The walk took us most of the way around a huge lake, Waikaremoana and we had fantastic weather for the whole four days. The first day was all up hill, rising up a big escarpment towering over 600 meters over the lake - the views were amazing. Well worth the effort. The walking was so hard carrying our heavy bags up such steep and uneven terrain that about 7km took us about 5 hours! We spent considerable time discussing what we wouldn't take with us next time. The first night we stayed in a hut and we were very glad of the mattress bunks. The next day was down off the bluff and down to lake level, we camped this night and had the site to ourselves which was great. We lit a small fire and were visited by possums in the night. We also had an afternoon day hike (since we got there early, rising at 6, bed at dark) to a nearby waterfalls. I could try to describe how amazing all the forrest and lake is, how many different types of fern grow and the crystal clear mountain lake water with the sun glittering off it, but its much better to look at the photos (comming soon). Day three took us futher round the lake, our bags getting lighter now but our feet sorer. We arrived at the next hut where we were supposed to camp but the hut was so enticing with plenty of space and no sigh of a warden so hey, it would be rude not to eh? The next day we completed the walk and were picked up by the water taxi and taken back to civilisation. I am now hooked on tramping and intend to do loads, it seems the best way to see New Zealand. The walk around the lake was one of the 10 great walks on New Zealand and our canoing trip next will be another (despite it not being a walk). After Lake Waikaremoana Frank and I headed to Lake Taupo where we met Liz. (Ash had to stay and wait in Gisborne for the car to be fixed). We found a free (yes, free!) campsite right next to a massive river you can swim in with a thermal river 2km upstream if you fancy a hot soak. We climbed Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom in the Lord of the rings). This was about 6 hour round trip and the best bit (apart from reaching the top and the views that provided) was running down the screes of Mount Ngauruhoe. It to a very strenuous one and a half hours to climb it and an extremly exciting 10 minites to run (slide) down! I absolutely hooned it down and it to every ounce of by balance to remain upright. We're also going back to do the Tongariro crossing (the start of which we did to climb Mount Doom) which is virtually a pilgramage for Kiwis - 17km 7-8hr walk throught the volcanic mountains. Today we climbed another peak up through forrest in thick mist, it was something straight out of Tolkien. Basically its been amazing and shows no sigh of changing. On saturday they have an Iron man race and oh my god - 4km swim, 180km bike ride 42km run - are thes guys real? Thats enough blabbering for now.