Ohakune – Returning to Te Ika-a-Māui

16. Mangaturuturu – Wanganui Corner (RMT 4) – Ohakune – Whanganui

Sunday, February 24: Rain overnight, snow on the mountain, clearing to partly cloudy, one hail and rainstorm, otherwise in Whanganui overcast & wet

Tramping: 3.2 km

Dave’s/Brennagh’s (airbnb, $81.3)

We all slept in past 7:00 this morning and I was in no hurry at all, so I let the others pack and leave towards Whakapapa. A bit of sun shone on the new snow on the mountain, and otherwise the day looked promising.

With the others out of the way, I tried to organise my pack a bit better, and when all was in, I swept out the hut. There are pictures on the walls documenting the hut’s construction in the late 50s, and since then one fairly open and bright annex has been added, as well as solar panels and LED lights for the evenings. Read more…

13. Waitonga Falls Carpark – Rangipo (RMT 1)

Thursday, February 21: Sunny to begin with, a couple of sprinkles and then some moderate showers

Tramping: 17.4 km

Rangipo Hut (Doc, $15)

Alan was up very early & off to work, long before I had to get up, but at around 7:00 I thought it would be enough time to throw stuff into the suitcase and complete packing for the tramp.

About the only things that weren’t up to scratch were that the compass hasn’t been calibrated, and it looks like I put in two hairbrushes; also the tripod should have been stripped of the gimbal attachment & the straps.

All was packed up & Jo and A. were on their way when I went out to the street to await my chauffeur, and Alan was already on his way back home. My driver had a couple of tips for me and we were soon at the drop-off point. He checked with his office about the return details so everything is in the green zone. Read more…

12. Day off at Ohakune

Wednesday, February 20: A bit of cloud around during the day but nothing really much, not quite as hot as previously, lovely sunset

Swimming: 1200 m

Arawa

Slept in until all was silent, then had the usual breakfast here of cornflakes, toast, added in two fried eggs, orange juice, coffee. Funny how a three-day walk requires next to no preparation, in any case my shopping list was not very long (about the only difference to the kayak tour was surprise peas instead of fresh vege, and sultanas instead of fresh fruit). Ambled into town to fulfill it. Read more…

11. Tieke Kainga – Pipiriki (WRJ 6) – Ohakune

Tuesday, February 19: A little cloudy to begin with, becoming fine & hot again, with a few clouds reappearing towards evening

Kayaking: 22.6 km

Arawa Lodge

There really was no great rush for people to get up this morning, but all of them were faster than I was. All of the eggs, salami, crackers, coffee and sugar had been used up, the muesli bars were to follow for lunch. Lent some string to Ines so that she could attach her glasses to something (she had lost one of her contacts), and the string was returned later in the day. I had all of my stuff packed up so that I required only one trip to the boat, and exchanged a word or two with Boyd about my upcoming hike of the Matemateoanga for which he offered me to stay the night @ Tieke. Will try.

I had tried recharging the “dead” batteries with what was left on the powerbank and hoped I had enough power for today, even though they weren’t full. Today’s plan was to get as far as Ngaporo and see what the final rapids might do to the gimbal, have a break there and decide about further deployment. Read more…

6. Ohakune – Taumarunui-Cherry Grove – Ohinepane (WRJ 1)

Thursday, February 14: Warm & sunny throughout with occasional cloud

Kayaking: 22.5 km
Tramping (Lauren’s Lavender excursion): 0.4 km

Ohinepane Campsite (Doc, $20)

The alarm hadn’t been set, but I was fairly confident of my ability to get up on time: 6:00 was being aimed for, practically it was 5:30. Had a breakfast of cornflakes, peaches & milk, coffee & two slices of plain toast in the still very quiet house. Alan showed up briefly, and then it was off to pack the final items, shove the suitcase into the room across the hall. Everything I wanted to take with me fit into the two backpacks, and I now have them with me. Which turned out to be a good decision. Read more…

5. Ohakune

Wednesday, February 13: Quite cool to begin with, somewhat cloudy, becoming hot & sunny

Arawa Lodge

I was in no rush this morning and arrived at the tail end of the little girl’s breakfast. I helped myself to some cornflakes with apricots and milk, some toast, about two glasses of orange juice, and a coffee. With Jo and her granddaughter out of the house I was free to pursue some planning.

This seemed to go fairly well and by 10:00 I was ready to go to the supermarket for the shopping spree. On the way a couple of gas bottles were picked up from the hardware store, and at the end of the New World spree the small backpack was already filled, with the beer having to be carried extra. Unpacked the shopping onto the kitchen table to contemplate for a while, then went back into town, first to see the swimming pool, then to find some lunch (no hot sausage rolls in the supermarket) and went to the Sweet Pea Cafe (19a Goldfinch St) across the road which had a sausage roll with sauce to eat in for $4.5. Thus strengthened I took the walk to the carrot-themed playground (along the way a brick commemorated the fact that Simon & Sue had paid for it – the brick or section of the path) and then back into town. Here I discovered the laundromat on the main street – so washing could be done here, if not at the lodge. Read more…

4. Auckland – Ohakune

Tuesday, February 12: Very cloudy to begin with, some drizzle, later changeable & somewhat warmer

Arawa Lodge, 43 Arawa St, Ohakune 4625 (airbnb, $50.8)

I was awake from about 5:00 onwards and got out of bed just before the alarm rang at 6:00. Not an eardrum bursting experience, but will do just in case I snooze off. Turning the thing off seemed to require going through the whole procedure.

No one else was up, although eventually Adam did make an appearance. I was concentrated on finishing the liquids, the yoghurt and the toast, and when that was done, the rest of the stuff had to be packed into the suitcase and the large backpack. I was wearing the boots today, but the shopping of the last couple of days made up for the space saved. Anyway an elephant was required again, but it all went very quickly and I was all set @ 7:15, waited around for a while and then decided to push off for the bus. Read more…

Kia Ora!

Nau mai, haere mai, welcome to another journey to the other side of the planet.

This time it’s the North Island, and the dates are February 9 – April 7, 2019.

Whanganui River Journey, February, 2015, just after starting

There is still unfinished business: The Whanganui River Journey still has to be filmed after the loss of the camera on the last trip (2015). And while in Ohakune, there’s plenty to do, and escape the crowds at the same time. Why not the Round the Mountain Track this time, instead of the Tongariro Northern Circuit? And perhaps shoot some views of Ruapehu in the sunset or sunrise. Read more…