Tongariro Crossing

this small world:
-or-
how i met rolf:

met rolf in rotorua at ulrik's hostel.
thought that he was ulrik.
opened the door to the car for the caving trip in waitomo a couple days later, there's rolf.
next day, hopped in the car with rolf to go to taupo.


taupo:

bought overpriced outdoorsy equipment (buy your stuff in the states before you come over here!).
made a delicious meal (mmm) at a party hostel (yuck).
sleep.
tongariro.
food.
sleep.


the tongariro crossing:

wake up at the crack of dawn to head out for the tongariro crossing.
roommate sandra joined ulrik and i. also, jimmy.
tons of safety precaution stuff on the bus...looks like a dangerous trek.
sunshine, dark clouds, sunshine...what o what will the weather be like up at tongariro park?
plodded through mordor, up the devil's staircase (no, they're not kidding), hung out near mt. doom, more trekking up the mountain...
snow! on the mountains!
walked up through clouds, sunshine, clouds.
played in the snow! woooo!
misty field, lots of snow, then up more! really, more up! huh.
hard, cold wind at the summit.
exhaustion.
hunger.
neeeeeed to pee.
clouds.
success, and satisfaction.
red crater looks like a coral vagina.
lunch at the emerald pools. beautiful. delicious. now THAT's a well-earned meal.
down, down, down...
down...
down...
UP! fuck.
down...
many scenery changes - lava rocks, big rocks, stream, tall grasses, shrubs, clouds, sunshine, jungle, waterfall...
died a little on the bus back to the hostel.
wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

sleeeeep.