New Zealand Road Trip

Rangitoto Summit Walk

Looking across to Motutapu Island from the boardwalk

Rachel in the lava cave

Auckland

Tom at One Tree Hill

Sleeping God Canyon

The crew setting off up the Billygoat Track - Tom, Martin, Patrick, Rachel, Russell

Rachel abseiling

View from the halfway ledge

The party below the main waterfall

Tyrolean set up for the sixth drop

Russell doing a backflip

Wayne in the Funnel

Coromandel

Rachel at Hot Water Beach

Cathedral Cove Sea Kayaking

Gemstone Bay

Rachel in the arch connecting the two beaches

Sea arch on Poikeke Island

Te Para Point Walk

Views of Te Karaka Island and Moturangi Island from Te Pare Point

Whitianga - Ferry Landing/Front Beach

Tom at Ferry Landing wharf. We used to holiday here as a family in the early 80s

Pinnacles Walk

Rachel crossing the Kauaeranga River at the start of our walk

Steep climb up the old tramway

First (and best for us!) views of the Pinnacles

Rachel at the 80-bed Pinnacles Hut, the biggest in the country

Rachel near the summit

On the track from the summit

Descending the old packhorse track down Webb Creek

Karangahake Gorge Windows Walk

The old mining tram line

Looking out into Lower Waitawheta Gorge from one of the windows on the Windows Walk

Rotorua - Te Puia

Pohutu in full steam (ha ha)

Don't fall in, Rachel!

Rotorua - Fairy Springs

At Rainbow Springs, one of the kiwis was recovering and needed checking out

Green Glow Eco Adventures - caving near Te Kuiti

Rachel climbing the corner

Paul and Rachel in the stream at the start of the cave

Paul feeding the eel

Rachel abseiling into another section of cave

Tom on the crawl

Final abseil back down into farmland

Tongariro "Crossing" - climbing Tongariro and Ngauruhoe

Setting off first thing in the morning - we were the second party on the track from the car park

Rachel and Tom

Tom and Rachel at the Tongariro Summit, with Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu in the background

Rachel descending to the Emerald Lakes, leaving the hordes at the top of the hill behind

Oh crap! I'm in the Volcanic Flying Rock Zone!

Rachel setting off up Ngauruhoe, a very loose scree climb

Rachel at the Ngauruhoe crater, Ruapehu in the background

However, the crater is not the real summit, so we go "tobottoming" down the snow patch to gain the next ridge...

Rachel on the summit of Ngauruhoe

Mangatepopo Valley

Taranaki Falls

Rachel at Taranaki Falls

Rachel on top of the falls

Whakapapa Ski Area

Rachel on the rocky ridge near Whakapapa Ski Area

Chateau Tongariro

Chateau Tongariro

Grotty trampers enjoying Devonshire Tea in the lounge room of the Chateau

Silica Rapids

Silica Rapids

Pukekura Park

Rachel at Sanders Gates

Black light display

Pouakai Circuit: Day 1 - North Egmont to Pouakai Hut

Where now?! Rachel crossing Kai Auahi Stream

On the track to Henry Peak

Rachel relaxing while Tom photo pfaffs

The track to Maude Peak

Pouakai Hut

Sunset

Pouakai Circuit: Day 2 - Pouakai Hut to Holly Hut plus Pouakai Trig and Bells Falls

On the track to Pouakai Trig

Heading back to the main track

Descending to Ahukawakawa Swamp and the upper Stony River

The track across the swamp is damp in places

Rockhopping up the river to Bells Falls

Pouakai Circuit: Day 3 - Holly Hut to North Egmont

The next morning, ready to leave Holly Hut

The Boomerang Slip

Descending the Razorback

Wellington

Christmas Day in Wellington! It's hotter than Sydney and warm enough for a (brief!) swim

Gollum dominates the airport!