After a rather chilly sleep, we emerged from the tent to prepare for a new day in the new year! We packed up as an ever creeping ray of sun tracked it's way across the campground to our tent at a painfully slow pace. With a bowl of oatmeal in our bellies and a warm shower to refresh us, we headed out for an exploration of the Tongariro National Park. The drive started out with a nice view of the hillside once again smoking into the morning air and in the distance our first real good look at our afternoon activity, the volcano known as Mount Ngauruhoe.
The area around these mountains was patchy forest and lot of open plains, leaving great views of the mountain range. We were able to drive quite far up the next volcano, known as Mount Ruapehu, a local ski location. This was the closest thing to snow we would be seeing this Christmas, if you don't count the frost in the back of the fridge. The ski resort area had lodges which in winter probably fit in quite nicely but during the summer, appeared as stranded ships upon the barren volcanic rock.
The scenes looking out however were breathtaking, being at eye level with many of the clouds as they drifted over distant lands. Enormous chunks of volcanic debris and old lava tubes dotted the countryside and meandered along paths on the hillside.
But even in this treeless place, life clings to the mountainside in every nook and cranny, small flowers, low growing shrubs, and lichens. Alpine species vying for space among the rocks, wherever they could find it.
A great start to first day in the new year, despite the cold beginning and after enjoying a snack and soaking up the fresh but thin air, we headed back down and drove to the next volcano which would consume our entire afternoon.
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