Taupo

On Sunday 27th May I left Wellington and got the Kiwi bus to Taupo. On the way we passed Tongariro National Park. There are three main volcanoes in the park; Mt Ruapehu (2797m the highest and most active), Mt Tongariro (1967m) and Mt Ngaurhoe (2287m). Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngaurhoe were both used to film Mt Doom in LOTR. However it is Mt Ngaurhoe that is the main one you would recognise from the film as it is the dome shape. After checking into my hostel in Taupo I went for a walk up to Huka Falls. On the way I passed the Spa Thermal Park. This is where a hot stream enters the Waikato River, NZ's longest river. You can go for a swim in here if you like but I didn't have time. I then walked along the riverside for another 30mins and came to the impressive Huka Falls. This is where the Waikato River is forced through a narrow chasm and then falls 10m into a surging pool. It looked really impressive. I walked back into town, arriving just before it got dark. That evening I stayed in the hostel and spoke to a number of other scots - it seemed to be the hostel for us all!!