Post Christmas Trip

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Post Christmas Trip Christmas Trip Saturday:. Drove to end of Waihohonu and he sneaked away early! Wired Track on Desert Road. Tramped in up loose exhaust pipe on rental car to Oturere hut for the night. presumably used by French party. Chatted with Walter-he left home Sunday: Rest day. Circumnavigated for a year or so fourteen years ago! Oturere crater via "interesting look- Travelled all over since-fascinating ing" ridge, South and Red craters, evening. and ridge above bluffs to north of Oturere Stream. A late lunch and Thursday: Walter took off for Ketetahi. then botanising in the crater for one, French rental still at hut. Bloke on local exploration and reconnoitring for bicycle arrived to climb Ngauruhoe. the other. Others arrived for day trips. We decided to check on French Laurie Monday: To Ketetahi Hut via Te Tatauborrowed bike to phone PaPark H.Q. Pounamu Wilderness area. Very varied Soon after two French male adults countryside. Descent into Mangahouarrived in another car, looked puzzled hounui Stream caused some strife. at wired up exhaust. Recognized me, Stayed at much the same level for pointed, made signs, I nodded abont 2/3rds of the way then sidled much smiling and thank yous. crater. A ed up to TeMari fair way round they seen Laurie? Boy. on bicycle? crater and sidling to the hut. Hut Non. Would they give him a message full that night-one person per bunk. if they saw him. No understanding. All parties had teachers represented- Note written for "Boy on Bicycle". we were the only non-family group. They left. Laurie arrived sweating. No fuel and no toilet paper! We Yes, he had the note. An agitated had our own, of course, but this Frenchman had stood in the middle was a problem for some of the others. of the road with arms and legs apart to stop him! Park H.Q, incidentally Tuesday: Rest day. Straight up to North knew the French people were O.K. crater, look around, climb the low -they had been sighted by the helibluffs opposite, gallop descend across to to Red Mt. copter delivering carbonettes on the Tongariro, photograph, across central crater, way out from Ketetahi hut! An early crater, canter lunch and a gallop round Ngauruhoe circumnavigate Blue Lake, and back back to Waihohonu via Tama Lakes to the hut for a late lunch. I prepared followed. tea while Laurie investigated the springs. Both this and previous day Friday: Climbed Te Heu Heu via "good very rewarding botanically. climbing ridge". Cloud and rain developed so got back to the hut in Wednesday: To Mangatepopo hut. Lost a hurry. Late lunch. Tales of broken sight of Laurie at the top of Red window in car at road end-is it crater. (Inspiration-look in the least ours? Good company in hut. obvious place-yes, there he is going straight down into South crater instead Saturday: Laurie ill-cleaned hut, packof using the track!). Up Ngauruhoe ed, unpacked. Brewed for self" and in an hour. Cloud arrived as we did others who arrived. Played patience. and frustrated photography. Laurie led Rain. Tried to interest Laurie in down-in about 30 seconds a minute etc. etc. Invited to join others soUP plume of dust 2,000 feet below! A hut for tea-fresh, real, potatoes-a great run down. Somewhat startledpleasure! Would the patient like somelooking French group having lunch thing to eat? Yes, réal potatoes really at saddle-Laurie had run the whole appealed. My anticipated treat dis way and tripped as he stopped, nearly appeared rapidly into what was an landing in their salad! Met Park obviously recovering stomach! Out to Rangers near hut. Chatted over late the road-yes, it was our car that lunch, and reported Ketetahi situation. had been broken into-but that and the Walter arrived having escaped from trip home is another story. And so two days each of eighteen hours' alcoended a mighty trip. It was, as Laurie hol consumption at the Chateau-the said, GAS. thought of a third day was too much Nick