Volcanoes and Forgotten World Highways
Leaving New Plymouth and Mt Taranaki via the Forgotten World Highway, a quite deserted stretch of road with quirky villages like Whangamomona on the way, whose inhabitants declared their independence from NZ after a local government decision. Nice ride, but very hilly and partly unsealed.
Tongariro NP is another climb to 900m and I was fortunate on my third attempt to do the Tongariro Crossing, I shared that experience with quite a few fellow hikers. Not everyone climbed Mt Ngauruhoe or Mt Doom (Lord of the Rings movies). I could actually see Mt Taranaki in the distance, just as I could spot the volcanoes of the central plateau a few days ago vice versa.
Taupo is a nice place to stay, another look at the Huka Falls, a visit to the Craters of the Moon and a little museum with displays of early exploration and tourism. And it was interesting to see all the places that Jules Verne describes so vividly in his book "
In Search of the Castaways", quite some adventure at that time, if you can take Jules Verne by his word...
Another nice road through farm land and forests to Waitomo, where I will go under ground...
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