National Park Village

Trip Start Nov 03, 2007
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Trip End Dec 07, 2007


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Where I stayed
National Park Village
(Turangi hotels)

Flag of New Zealand  ,
Saturday, November 24, 2007

Up early for last minute repacking and breakfast. Check out of the Ibis; a courtesy bus from our car rental company picks us up at 9am. Nice. Get our car a little before 10am. An automatic. We head North out of Wellington trying not to use the footbrake as a clutch. And the indicators are on the wrong side so the wipers are flapping around like mad. Wellingtonians don't seem to use indicators so I guess this is eccentric but OK. Heading for National Park Village. Stop off just after halfway at Wanganui, just in time for their Christmas parade down the main street. Lots of floats and Santa.
Get into National Park Village a little before 3pm. Checked in and am surprised to find the owner is the double of Dara o'Briain (the Irish comedian). I crack a joke about our room number being number 69. Nudge, nudge. Find out this cannot be Dara cos this guy does not possess a sense of humour. Blank looks is all. And unimpressed looks from Fi.
Packing rucksacks for tomorrow. We get bussed to the start of the Tongariro crossing then picked up at 5ish (?) at Ketahahi car park. Hope someone has a map.
Tea at a local cafe bar. Coming out we were met with the most amazing sunset light on Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings). Soooo cooool.
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