24 Sept: Drippier Day

Early in the morning, the sky over Lake Taupo was still cloudy, but the clouds had substance and clearing weather was forecast. So we cheerfully headed south, towards Tongariro National Park.

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Tongariro is reputed to have some of the North Island's most striking scenery. It's home to three great volcanoes. Ruapehu, the tallest at 8671 feet, last erupted in 2007. We had planned to spend a couple of days there, enjoying the, "beautiful mixture of semi-arid plains, steaming fumaroles, crystal-clear lakes and streams, virgin rainforest, and an abundance of ice and snow," says The Rough Guide to New Zealand.

Alas, the weather didn't clear. As we neared our destination, this was the view of the southern end of Lake Taupo:

and we couldn't see anything of the mountains looming behind us. The weather showed no signs of clearing, so we revised our plans and headed west towards our next destination, Mt. Taranaki.

Ten days on the road in the Tuatara Traveller has reinforced Marian's decision that she isn't going to drive this right-hand-drive, five-on-the-floor, prone-to-stalling vehicle. So David drives while Marian navigates, enjoys the scenery, and takes "road pictures" through the windscreen, a few of which are worth keeping.

When the scenery is especially nice, we stop and get out and take better photos

and sometimes find a surprise by the side of the road.

Mt. Taranaki is several hours drive away and it was raining harder than ever, so we called it a day in Taumarunui, the only town (albeit a very small one) en route. We checked in to a nice RV park near town and spent the afternoon taking our pleasures as we found them.

Cruising Taumarunui's main street

Surfing the internet

Considered going to a movie this evening, but the Taumarunui Cinema is only open on weekends. Having New Zealand kumara (sweet potatoes), asparagus and raspberries for dinner — yum. Hoping for better weather tomorrow.