From Rotorua we headed south down the Thermal Explorer highway to Lake Taupo.We stayed at the excellent Lake Taupo top 10 holiday park and from here ran out to the Huka Falls.This was an incredibly powerful waterfall a couple of kilometers out of town where the water pouring over the falls is incredibly clear.On the way back we stopped to look at the Taupo bungy jump.This was a 47m bungy jump where you touch the cristal clear water at the bottom.As Hannah has already completed a bungy jump the last time in New Zealand I have been feeling some man ego pressure to take the plunge this visit. After watching a few jumpers however we soon got back in the campervan and made our way toa leisurely walk around some more geo thermal activity at the Craters of the Moon; a poor mans Wai-o-tapu.Apparently the bungy jumps are much better on the south island anyway.

From Lake Taupo we headed south to a small town of Ohakune.This was our base from which to enter the Tongariro National Park and complete the famous day walk the Tongariro Crossing.We were very excited about this as the crossing passes two live volcanoes, Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe and the pictures of the walk are amazing.We booked our shuttle bus for the next day and were up at 6:30am all set when the guide came and broke the news.Due top high winds and rain causing poor visibility (I am in my shorts and t-shirt at this point) it was not safe to do the crossing that day.Gutted but we hope to do it on our way back north to drop the van off in Auckland.

After this big disappointment we headed straight for Wellington and a stay with Drew and Laura before the ferry to the south island.