Saturday, July 07, 2012
Crysta Parkinson @ Well Worn Suitcase
Everyone was up and through the (amazing) shower a little later than expected, but soon enough we were on the road. We poked around Hastings looking for a geocache, but were unsuccessful, so decided to move on.
We drove along the Hawkes Bay Coast for a little way, then headed inland toward Te Urewera National Park. What a drive that was! We weren't far into the park when the pavement gave way to gravel roads, and other cars became fewer and farther between.
Te Urewera is the largest national park on the North Island. It also protects the largest area of native forest remaining on the island, and is home to nearly all species of the country's birds.
Filled with beautiful lakes, forest and mountains, the road was very (very) narrow, and winding. In some places we were making tight corners with a mountain beside us, blindly hoping no one was coming from the other way, and in other areas there was nothing between us and a steep drop to a valley below.
We had a picnic lunch in the van just before we reached beautiful Lake Waikarimoana, and met up with some Eastern European travelers headed out on a hike. According to what we read, the lake was formed 2200 years ago when a huge landslide blocked the Waikaretaheke River.
No one in our group had ever taken this drive, so I think it was a bit surprising, but interesting and different. We came out the other side and into Rotorua just after dark (which meant a juggle of the itinerary).
We drove along the Hawkes Bay Coast for a little way, then headed inland toward Te Urewera National Park. What a drive that was! We weren't far into the park when the pavement gave way to gravel roads, and other cars became fewer and farther between.
Te Urewera is the largest national park on the North Island. It also protects the largest area of native forest remaining on the island, and is home to nearly all species of the country's birds.
Filled with beautiful lakes, forest and mountains, the road was very (very) narrow, and winding. In some places we were making tight corners with a mountain beside us, blindly hoping no one was coming from the other way, and in other areas there was nothing between us and a steep drop to a valley below.
We had a picnic lunch in the van just before we reached beautiful Lake Waikarimoana, and met up with some Eastern European travelers headed out on a hike. According to what we read, the lake was formed 2200 years ago when a huge landslide blocked the Waikaretaheke River.
No one in our group had ever taken this drive, so I think it was a bit surprising, but interesting and different. We came out the other side and into Rotorua just after dark (which meant a juggle of the itinerary).
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