New Zealand > To Wellington

When I get up, my muscles let me know that yesterday involved quite a bit of effort. It doesn’t really hurt, though. We have time today. We enjoy a relaxed breakfast in our little house and then pack our things. Around 9:30 we leave the Mountains Lodge Chalets park. The weather is beautiful (today at least). We take the road toward the foot of Mount Ruapehu. In winter, this is a popular ski area. Although the mountain’s peak is still covered with patches of snow, skiing is no longer possible.A few kilometres before the mountain are the Mangawhero Falls, a waterfall just a few minutes’ walk away. Unfortunately, the falls are in the shade, making the falling water hard to see. Mount Ruapehu, however, is in full sunlight. From the car park, we have a gorgeous view of the giant mountain, standing out beautifully against the blue sky.

New Zealand - The Ngauruhoe volcano served as Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings

Looking the other way, I can see over the vast surrounding landscape — kilometres into the distance.A bit further from Ohakune lies the Rotokura mountain lake. In clear weather and with still water, Mount Ruapehu is reflected in the lake. Via Dry Lake, we reach Lake Rotokura. This lake is sacred to the Maori. The path to the lake is easy to walk, but once we start our walk around the lake, the path becomes less passable. We often have to climb over tree trunks and wade through tall vegetation. By now, Mount Ruapehu is shrouded in clouds, and the wind has rippled the lake’s surface — so the perfect picture is not to be had. After an hour, we are back at the car.Our last stop before driving to Wellington is Mount Ngauruhoe — Mount Doom. This volcano is now free of clouds, and its crater-like cone is clearly visible. Around one o’clock, we set course for Wellington. We drive via Palmerston to the coast. In the town of Otaki, about a hundred kilometres before Wellington, stands the most beautiful Maori church. The Rangiatea Church was destroyed by fire in 1995. The current church is an exact replica. From the outside, the white church looks like any other, but unfortunately it is closed, so we cannot see its Maori interior.We drive the last stretch to Wellington. It’s still beautiful weather as we enter the city. On the southern side runs the Marina Drive route — a scenic road along several bays.

New Zealand - A beer at Lyall Bay

We follow the route, stopping now and then to enjoy the views. It’s stunning here. Via Lyall Bay, near the airport, we return to the city. We drive to the Park Hotel in the centre, arriving in our room at 7:30 p.m. A short walk takes us to the Waterfront, where numerous restaurants are housed in the old harbour buildings — a perfect, trendy place to eat. Tomorrow we will explore the city further.