Taranaki Photos & the Way to Wellington

The 1st 2 are from Saturday on the way up the road from Inglewood.

Shame about the clouds, but it got better :-))

The 3rd is a shot of the camphouse with Taranaki in the background. You may get an idea of how high up the volcano I was? I drove through about 7k of forest before I got to it.

It was taken while tea was brewing, the udon were on the stove, & before the door played silly buggers.

Number 4 was next morning about 6.20. Ngnaruhoe is just to the right of the sun, & Ruapehu is the bigger lump to the right of that.

I'm pretty pleased with it & looking forward to seeing if it'll blow up to a decent size.

5 is a shot from the camphouse car park, & the camphouse is off shot to the right
What a place to spend the night, eh? Even if it Was a tiny bit spooky being way up there on my ownio ;-p

The last one is from SH3, which goes near enough due south down the east side.

I got a bit arty farty & framed it with some flowering bushes. It's spring here!

Shortly after I took the last one, the mountain was covered in cloud.

It happened within about 5 min. I looked over my right shoulder, & bam, there was the cloud & all chances of any more pics was gone.

Just before the road turned SE I stopped for a couple of teenagers wanting to go to Hawea.

Not sure if they were grungy Goths, or gothy Grungies, but the lad had a guitar & said his band played psychedelic grunge. I didn't want to show my age & ask what that was - harharhar

I passed through Marton & Bulls, as I'd done in 2009, & stopped at the same place for a brew.

I texted Liz from there & gave her an ETA

This time I refrained from taking that great road I'd driven last time & went straight down the coast.

It seemed to take ages to finally reach parts of Wellington I recognised, but I pulled up outside Liz's at about 1.45. Although she said she'd be out riding until 3 I knocked anyway, & Elliot came to say hello - briefly.

I figured I had over an hour to try & get to Fayes. so I followed my nose to the coast, but unfortunately got stuck behind a Sunday driver on the coast road, & by the time I got to Faye's there was no time to stop & say Thank you for her kindness last time.

I hadn't bought any flowers anyway, so I'll need to revisit on my way back up north.

Back at Liz's, she was home & I knocked on the door & she guessed it was me.

I should explain:

We hadn't met before, but her Mum goes to St Anne's SCD & put me in touch. She's kindly let me crash out at her house on the way down & on the way back for the Argentina game.

Talking of games, as it's currently going up for 7 on Sat the 10th, & certain Scottish peeps are waiting for me to eat, & join them in a wee dram ( wee ? I don't think so, somehow. These are Scottish rugby peeps we're taking about & we got quite 'merry' last night!?!?)

So, it's goodnight from me

More soon when I'm on Stewart Island tomorrow, hopefully

OAO