Who knew that New Zealand had their very own royals? As in the mighty Northern Royal Albatross or “toroa.” Had you fooled for a minute, didn’t I? Although I’m writing about birds, there is no doubt that the albatross is a royally, spectacular creature. An Otago wonder, if you will. Located on the cliffs of … More The New Zealand Royals
Continuing on from my two previous posts (These (Hiking) Boots Were Made For Walking) and One Explosive Hike!), this time I’m writing about Tongariro National Park (TNP) in a general sense. Maybe because it’s Winter, maybe because I’d rather be (trying to) snowboard, or maybe just because I want to. Lets start with some Fast … More Thrice As Nice
Lord of the Rings fans know it as Mt Doom – the volcano where the One Ring was created, and after extensive travels with Gollum and the Hobbits, the place of its destruction. The rest of us peeps know it as Mt Ngauruhoe, the aesthetically-pleasing volcanic cone of Tongariro National Park. To access Mt Ngauruhoe, … More One Explosive Hike!
Close to my home in NZ, is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The Crossing is rated as one of the best hikes worldwide and at a mere 19.4km, it takes hikers/trampers through a spectacularly varied alpine landscape. The Department of Conservation (DOC) estimates the Crossing takes 7 to 9 hours to complete, and as it took me … More These (Hiking) Boots Were Made For Walking…
Lets be honest, gas is funny. We know this from the countless kids fart books that are now readily available. Gas equals hilarity, but unless the Gasser has eaten something really toxic, bystanders usually remain conscious. Enter Cameron’s Laughing Gas Pool. Once again, I am writing about Sulphur Point, on the southern end of Lake … More A Bath of Laughs
In a previous post regarding The Coffee Pot, I mention Sulphur Point. But where and what, pray tell, is Sulphur Point? No, it’s not the smelly beginnings of Hell. It is actually a small peninsula at the southern end of Lake Rotorua. After wandering through Government Gardens (a beautiful, free public garden), we accidentally found the … More Burn, Baby, Burn
At the southern point of Lake Rotorua is Sulphur Point, a place that is historically important for a number of notable springs and mud pools. One such pool is the Coffee Pot, with many people travelling to, and even camping by, its murky waters. The Coffee Pot was said to once be surrounded by manuka bushes; I can’t … More Coffee Cures All
