No go for the Tongariro Crossing so instead we did a 2 hour circular walk from Whakapapa Village, out to the Taranaki Falls, in the cold and wet. Pretty waterfall. Worth the effort. We then drove high up to the end of the long, steep, winding Bruce Road that ascends from Whakapapa Village to Iwikau Village, the centre for the Whakapapa Skifield. As we opened the car doors the icy cold wind blasted right through us. The windchill at this high altitude was quite something. We were very glad that we had not attempted the Tongariro Crossing; we would have encountered similar conditions going over the high pass. In the afternoon we visited the farm run by Helen's parents, Sven & Paula, to see the newly born alpacas. Cute. Then back to the Station Restaurant & Cafe in the evening for another great meal served by our favourite Argentinian waitress.