While we were in Rotoura, we'd decided to change our planned route after finally having a bit of a read of the Lonely Planet. Just south of Lake Taupo is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing - the "best day hike in New Zealand" if not the world - so who were we to argue with that. So we decided to sack off Napier and the Huka Jet boat at Taupo and do the walk instead.

We managed to fit a brief side trip to the Huka falls just outside Taupo which were a LOT more impressive than the Haruru ones up in Bay of Islands, and had a picnic and a bit of a wander / paddle (me) along the lakeside in Taupo. Liked the atmosphere in Taupo - bit of a shame we weren't staying overnight, despite witnessing a hilarious bout of Kiwi road rage on the main drag - in which a Mad Max gone wrong extra complete with bizarre mullet (earning him "worst haircut yet on the trip") unwound his window to hurl the unforgettable insult, "ya bloody cockmuncher" at the unfortunate who'd had the temerity to beep him for ridiculous driving. Paul found this hysterical for most of the rest of the afternoon, me slightly less so...

We made our way over to Tongariro National park, staying just outside at the Discovery Lodge in a very cute wee cabin for the walk the next day and a seriously early start (4.30 alarm call arghh) to beat the hoards. The kitchen was the most unequipped kitchen we've stayed at yet - but it does have the earliest bus.

So with the 4.30am alarm call, we were on the bus at 5.40 to start the walk, just getting light. It was seriously well worth it. Saw dawn breaking in the distance as we started the trail, with only a couple of guys ahead of us. The weather forecast has unfortunately changed slightly since we'd booked the transfers, and although it started clear, as we went up, it became seriously cloudy and visibility when we were going over the highest point of the trail was pretty low. By this stage, we'd lost the guys ahead and left another (very loud and annoying American) group to try their hand at going up Mount Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom in LOTR film geeks). We decided against this because 1) it wasn't a marked route 2) it took 3 hours up and down and 3) it was crap visibility and freezing so what exactly was the point people??

Anyhoo, by this stage it was just us and it was very cold, windy and foggy. As we followed the poles they seemed to go sharply to the left, and we had a very steep scramble up the side of the pass with seriously strong winds blowing. Safe to say, this was a rather fraught 20 minutes or so on my behalf as i wasn't sure whether this was just the climb up to the highest point of the main walk, or whether we were now following another side route up Mount Tongariro (a side route which would take an extra 2 hours in the cold and wind). Very relieved to find a sign further up pointing both to the main route and the side trip - so we were on the main route. Decided not to do the other side trip as both a bit chilly and freaked out by the wind by this stage and visibility still crap. As we scrambled down from the high point, the cloud started to clear lower down and we had some cracking views of the emerald lakes and views over to Taupo. The rest of the walk was fab, despite a never-ending walk out through bush and beech forest with sore feet by this stage and seriously needing to pee... Given it was a 19km walk, we hardly saw another soul the whole way and we were the 1st to make it down to the pick up point. WINNERS!

Given we'd made it in time for the 1st shuttle bus, we decided not to stay another night, but head back into Taupo for some well-earned R&R at the Silver Fern Lodge. Sweet sweet dreams and sore sore ankles.