Let's take a walk...

One of the enticing aspects of New Zealand for the huge number of backpackers it gets all year round is its scenery. Nearly everywhere you go in the country, the view is worthy of being the front of a postcard or the setting for a film; as Peter Jackson saw fit. My travels through the Land of the Long White Cloud had so far consisted of making my way down through the North Island, going through towns with their own unique attraction to explore. Waitomo had the Glow worm caves that had me abseiling into the depths to wade through ice cold water, and float on rubber rings to stare agog at luminesant maggots that made me feel I was floating through space. Rotorua, famous for its volcanic geysers and sulphuric smell, gave me the opportunity to try White Water rafting which has now got me hooked and searching for the next set of raging rapids.

But I wanted to see more of New Zealand than your usual adrenaline junkie fix that the country has also become renowned for. These activites, fun and a good of an experience as they may be, can also become distracting from what the real part of NZ is all about. So that's when I made the decision of taking on a three day hike through Tongariro National Park, located on the North Island near Taupo. This was also the location of the omninously named, (thanks to a certain film) Mount Doom. Before this hike, the most intense walks I had partaken in included the holding of shopping bags or a hurried stride to work due to a nonexistent alarm. This hike was going to be a completely new challenge for me, but that was what I was here for and I couldn't wait to do it.

The first of the three days the walk was 9 and half hours long to our first hut located on the other side of the volcanoes; Tongariro, Ngauruhoe (Doom) and Ruapehu. The three days basically took us round all three with overnight stops to break it up. I found the first day the easiest. I felt quite energised and enthusiastic for the trek ahead, feeling more like I was on a brisk walk than a hike. The only point where I thought to myself, 'Why?! Why am I doing this?' is when I had to climb up 'The Devil's Staircase'. The name says it all, even by the most expert of hikers. The further you climbed, the longer the staircase seemed to become like a cruel game played by the path.The steepness didn't help either. The staircase had me grumbling and cursing to myself each step I went, with my friend and fellow hiker, Matt telling me 'You're not going to like this' from way up ahead when he spies the next set of stairs going into the distance. Thankfully I persisted and pushed myself and got to the other side. After that, inclines didn't seem so bad and I took them all in my stride.
The view from the top of one of the craters was astounding. I was standing ontop of a volcano and I could see across the whole park. In front of me were the Emerald Lakes, a trio of bodies of water that were a beautiful turqoiuse green.

 Turning 360, there are mountain ranges as far as the eye could see and I felt on top of the world. I thought I had seen the most amazing view of the day; but that was until I reached our first hut of the hike. The scenery that greeted me made the 9 hour walk totally worth it. For the whole evening, I watched the world around me change as the sun went down and a full moon rose. It was the perfect moment for a timelapse film, and I just sat outside the hut (wearing three layers mind!) watching it all in front of me.

The second day proved a little more difficult. In order for us to reach the summit of Tongariro, we had to make our way back up the incline we struggled to come down the previous day. The slope was made up of rocks which made walking up the side akin to that of walking in porridge. Unfortuantly, when we were making our way back down it, I slipped and twisted my knee. This accident became my burden for the rest of the day. Wearing my cousins size 5 shoes on my size 6 feet didnt help my feet or my mood, but I trudge on nonetheless.  The terrain in New Zealand changes sporadically and can leave you feeling a little bewildered. At one point we were walking through desert like areas and out of nowhere, a huge forest appears with a huge river flowing through it. It was so surreal, but gave the hike an extra adventurous feel. I felt like an explorer finding new lands.

The whole hike gave me an appetite to take on more walks. I felt accomplished and it gave me an insight on what I could be missing if I didn't push myself to use my own two feet to get out in the world beyond brick walls and civilization. Despite my twisted knee, I loved every minute of the hike. It's definitely prepared me  for more to come on the South Island, which I've heard is even more breathtaking.