Woke to 90% cloudy grey skies & intermittent light drizzle. Discussed our options, & decided to drive up to Chateau Tongariro, to check out the forecast at the Whakapapa Visitors Centre. When we got there, the cloud lifting & weather clearing was now not expected until the evening. We reluctantly gave up our ideas of doing part of the Tongariro Crossing, as it really would have to be "perfect" weather for such a task to be worthwhile! Took a coup...

Weather, as forecast, set grey & raining - so decided to follow the advice of the park owner, hoping for better mountain spotting weather tomorrow. Agreed to stay another night, so no need to rush in the morning to get packed & on the move. Relatively late start to the day: breakfast & homework, the drove east towards Turangi. Quick stop at the Waituhi Saddle Lookout for another scenic photo, then onto the Tongariro National Trout Centre. Interes...