Day One of Our 2013 Trip

Well we are headed to the South Island to see what is described as "the most beautiful part of New Zealand."  It seems to us that it would have to go some to beat what we have seen on the North Island.

I was trying hard to not run off the road as Bec snapped this photo of the two adventurers headed south out of Auckland.  The drive from Auckland to Wellington is about 7 hours.  We took State Highway 1 down to Hamilton and then picked up route 39 to route 4.  This area is very rural and isolated.  You would literally need to drive several kilometers to get to you closest neighbor.  A trip for a loaf of bread should not be taken lightly.

As you begin to go across the southern edge of Tongariro National Park, Mt. Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings films) reveals her snow/glacier covered head.  Her sister, Mt. Tongariro, will be remembered for a volcanic eruption last year.  Clouds of steam continue to spew from her top.

We continued on down to Wellington and spent the night in anticipation of crossing the Cook Strait to the South Island the next day.