hey all!

today we walked the tongaraero crossing, got up at 4.45 to be picked up at 5.30 by a bus and driven to start of track. we set off walking at 7.20. windy most of the day, face is now rosy the nose up from where my coat was. saw mt doom, but were not aloud to climbn at was too windy and if we were blown off it might hurt when we landed. afert VERY steep scrmbly bit we went down into a flat volcanic crator, the mountain blew its top off a long time ago so was luckily not so high a climb as it could have been. climbed out of crator and walked along ridge line up then down past some shimering green and blue lakes. was quite breezy along this patch. if didn't want to get blown over cliff type had to resort to putting bum to rock and staying that way till a slight lull alound you to stand upright again and slowly make your way forward. lol, fun. though emma lost her hat! the one which smelt of wet sheep in the rain and which has acompanyied her on all major expeditions since before i've known her. tis a sad sad day, and we can only hope that another walker will see it floating by and put it to good use (though not as fire wood)

after that bit going got easirer and slightly more sheltered. also down hill. stunning views once again. have come to conclusion that though england does have some nice patches, NZ is pretty well one giant nice patch. finished walk at 1.36 precisely so had a nap in the sun at the car park whilts waiting for the bus to arrive.

weather here is beautiful, summer is getting going it seems after weeks of hinting at it. but then, in NZ the waether is raely the same 2 days in a row so i may be just a blip.

hope is good for the beach tomorrow. (we're going to whitianga, last stop!)

have only three more nights in NZ after 4 months. will be excessively strange to be in ones own bed. also keep forgetting that it isn't going to be warm and sunney as when i left.

but thats not bad, as warm and christmas deffinately do not go. its just not natural to see BBQs being advertised as christmas presents.

love you all!

God Bless

jen

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