My first adventures in Middle Earth

A mix of animated voices comes over the lake wharf while I am setting up my tent in the late evening sun. It's Christmas time and local people having their annual festive company events. It won't be that tranquile as last evening, listening only to the bridal chorus of hundereds of black swans and other birds in this lakeside sanctuary in the heartland of the Maori people.

Neither could be the experience I had this early, rather chilly morning on my way to hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, probably the most spectacular one day trek in "Middle Earth". I still tried to figure out the heater while steering the first hundreds meters along the empty highway, when out of nowhere a Maori appeared on a black horse - a musculous man with long black hairs, barfoot, shorts, and body shirt, riding without saddle but only a lose cord in one hand to support his commands. He disappeared the same way in my mirror in the early morning fog - and when I turned my eyes again forward there was suddenly the skyline of the majestic volcanic mountains of the World Heritage Tongariro National Park, with Mt. Tongariro releasing thick white steam clouds into the clear sky. Indeed, a road trip in New Zealand is more than rewarding. As it has been 20 years ago. Each mile you drive along the highway down from North to South, the more you understand why the natural geothermal heartland of the Maori people is the perfect host for the adventures of the Hobbits Frodo and Bilbo in Middle Earth.

 

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing provides an opportunity to experience some of the most scenic and active volcanic areas on a 20 km day hike directly between Mt. Tongariro and Mt. Ngauruhoe. Due to an eruption in August 2012, visitors are still not allowed to park their cars next the starting point and also need to turn back at the Emerald Lakes to avoid entering the 700 meter critical radius of flying rocks. Nevertheless, trekking 7 hours through activ volcanic terrain keeps you thrilled with the sights and sounds you face. From the highest point I could spot even Mt. Taranaki - described as the second most perfect conic vulcano after Mt. Fuji in Japan - some 150 km away on the westcoast. What an amazing day that probably is my Christmas present only, as I can't share with you a series of pictures; exactly that day my already displayless phone refused to take pictures (and the webcam of my Andropad is usually for skyping only ...).

Meanwhile I arrived in the "Coolest Little Capital in the World" - Wellington - whereas I am not sure if this slogan, based on a New York Times article "... the city's atmosphere speaks for itself - Cool-with-a-captal-C..." is linked to it's geographic location, or the famous Soho-like Downtown Cuba Street, for a slice of bohemia, boutique shopping and some of the best coffee in town. A good time to watch "Hobbit - An unexpected Journey" in the classic Embassy Theater, built in 1924 and home to the world premiers of "The Lord of the Rings" triology and the "Hobbit".

From here I cross on Christmas-eve to the South Island, a spectacular three hour cruise along the many small islands of the Marlborough Sound, to head down the east coast to attend the pre-end-of-the-year 2-day "Rhythm & Alps" music festival in Terrace Downs (near Christchurch), with the magnificent skyline of the snowy Southern Alps as backstage decoration.

So let's meet again in a GREAT NEW YEAR 2013