I always dream of how I would wander alone in New Zealand.
Just immerse into the moment surrounded by nature, with my travel companion – my loyal camera, safely tucked in my backpack. New Zealand, the land of vast open space with beautiful landscapes.
I had my chance last year while on a quick trip to accompany my beloved daughter to register at one of the universities in Wellington. It meant to be just a sneak peek trip for me … send her off to the maturity land and as for me, the wandering mom would come back another year to embark on my own wandering trip exploring NZ.
The land of Lord of Ring with Dwarfs, Elves, the Hobbits, the Wizards and all sort of creatures wander around freely. Well … sort of lol.
Tongariro National Park
I could not contain myself though, once my daughter completed her things-to-do list I quickly purchased my Intercity bus ticket to the nearest adventurous place that I could hold on to, which is the Tongariro National Park.
The oldest national park in NZ, located in the centre of North Island and acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
Here sit Mt. Tongariro 1967m, Mt. Ngauruhoe 2291m (Mt Doom in the Lord of the Rings filming locations) and Mt. Ruapehu 2797m. One of the several locations where Peter Jacksons shot the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
I travel alone.
I like the idea of exploring and wandering alone. It is less noisy. More just do it moments and less “let us plan on what to do” moment
I booked my 2 nights stay at YHA hostel, National Park thinking that well … I should just hang around here looking at the mountains from afar.
The weather was not very good on the day that I arrived at the park. Raining with thick fogs surrounding the valleys. If you have just one-day you can do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing but if you have more days to spend then you can camp and track to several routes surrounding the park.
My plan was just to be here and enjoy the mountainous view.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing takes a maximum of an eight hours track to complete, it is insane to take up the challenge when you never walk further than a distance between your car and the shopping mall’s front door (am relating it to me, lol). The total distance of the crossing is 19.4km … insane.
Memang giler kentang … curiosity kills the cat. Well, guess what … yours truly completed the crossing.
Sharing a snippet story from my previous posting here on how bizarre was my experience doing the Tongariro National Park … walking by myself for 8 hours crossing mountains, volcanic craters and alpine forest on my own.
“As I continue for another 11.3 km trails to Ketetahi Carpak the weather started getting irritated. The fogs thicken, the temperature started to drop further down (9-12 degree) as the raindrops started to clouds my glasses … omg, I was standing on a narrow trail between 2 very steep craters while my feet were shaken due to lack of sugar aka energy and my glasses was clouded. The sulfur smell filled the air.”
“I nearly cried at the very last 6.3km … as my feet could not take it anymore. Other trekkers passed by me one after another leaving me alone struggling with my incapabilities. Oh, I hate that feeling of being left behind … but I kept my chin up and walk slowly imagining myself doing brisk walk at my most favourite park.”
Picture of me posing at the midpoint of the crossing ↑.
Yeah! me too, I also could not “brain” the MYDIN plastic bag that I carried on my back during this bizarre journey. Out of all the bags that I have … that lucky MYDIN plastic bag was the chosen one. And, that plastic bag is a non-biodegradable type lol.
Gorgeous beautiful world we live in. I am now working on my 2020 traveling plan and the New Zealand trip would be in early autumn (April 2020).
Anybody want to join me for my next NZ trip? It will be a cost-sharing trip.
Please drop a message on the comment column if you want to join me.
A seagull checking on me while I was staring at the view of the Wellington Habour
I am in Wellington, New Zealand at this time being.
Accompanying my daughter for her first-year University registration here in the city. Spent 2 weeks here with her, exploring the city and its surroundings while at the same time trying to make her comfortable with this new place where she would call her second home for the next 3 years.
Being a green brain, I got bored with CITY easily. Flipped through the “Free guide to NZ” Arrival magazine that I took from the airport, the turquoise colour of an acid lake in South Crater valley of Tongariro National Park caught my attention. But … naaaah! 8-hours walk of a total 19.4km would kill me instantly … so I think.
Then … I got really bored and kept thinking of that National Park.
The view of the mountains – Mt. Tongariro 1967m, Mt. Ngauruhoe 2291m (Mt Doom in the Lord of the Rings filming locations) and Mt. Ruapehu 2797m – make me more curious and I can’t hold it anymore and I purchased my Intercity bus ticket from Wellington to National Park station for the next day trip. And booked my 2 nights stay at YHA hostel, National Park.
I said to myself … fine, I just have a look at the park and walk around the easiest trail while enjoying my favourite thing to do when I am alone, breath in and breath out the air of freedom – the mountain fresh air, hmmm nice – it feels like home, comfortable.
View in front of the hostel where I was staying. Well, look at that … thick clouds covering Mt Ruapehu. Not a clear weather to do the crossing
I don’t mind travel alone as I don’t have the urge to talk or even binge talk to anyone because most of the time my mind is always fully occupied with my own thoughts and imagination. I tend to forget about my surroundings too.
New Zealanders are super cool and very helpful too.
My first time in NZ … ohh I love New Zealanders as they treated me more as a co-human than as a strange Muslim lady with a head covered wandering loose alone.
The view of Mt Ruapehu without the thick clouds
The weather was not very good on the day that I arrived at the National Park.
Raining with thick fogs surrounding the valleys. While contemplating either I want to do the crossing or just hang around, a group of people popped into the hostel front desk returning their gears. They just did the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the rain and the thick fogs … and with their red and cheerful face even when they were soaking wet.
Damn it … I said to myself.
And this guy from Thailand with a wide happy eye just bluntly tell me … hey! have you done the crossing? If you haven’t, you better just do it … even if the weather is like this, it would be worth every single second.
And guess what … I paid the 40 NZ dollars for the National Park return transportation and rented a waterproof boot, a walking pole and a raincoat. I fixed my mind … I am all in for this. Just like that.
I need to see what the havoc is all about. Well … well … well … bare in mind that I hate trekking, I am not well trained and I am not even sure which box to tick in as Lucy, the front desk lady passed me a form to fill in … which level of mountain trekker am I? should I tick the beginner box?
As I am not even a beginner lol coz I am the type of person if given a choice where to park my car at the shopping mall … I would always choose the one very very very near to the entrance door.
Well … done with that. Lucy asked me … what makes me decide to do this? And I said “hmmm, I just wanna get over this. This curiosity bugs me” and she laughed.
The park signboard … I had a goofy feeling while looking at this
Omg … It was a beautiful sight as I first stepped in the Mangatepopo car park but as I looked at the signboard (above) I got really scared. “Urghh I am so gonna die,” I told myself lol.
Overall from the opptimistic point of view, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is worth every second of the 8 hours walk despite the thick fog and the occasional rain. I managed to click a few photos with my iPhone while struggling to keep up with the trails.
The beginning
Moving forward with the running water sound coming from the stream along the way
The moody and wet surrounding has that calming effect on me
And the horror parts came … the trail starts ascending
And this view as I looked down at my trails
This is the point where we start descending and trolling along the longest 11.3km in my whole entire life. Honestly … I never walk this far in my entire life
As I continue for another 11.3 km trails to Ketetahi Carpak the weather started getting irritated. The fogs thicken, the temperature started to drop further down (9-12 degree) as the raindrops started to clouds my glasses.
Omg, I was standing on a narrow trail between 2 very steep craters while my feet were shaken due to lack of sugar aka energy and my glasses was clouded. The sulfur smell filled the air. The air was super foggy, truly looked like from a sci-fi movie this place is.
This is the turquoise colored lake that I saw in the magazine, the one that makes me want to visit this place
I was tired … near to the point of ‘I want to give up’ mode. I kept reminding myself that if I quit in the middle of the trail, I have to pay NZ500. The cost to rescue you out of this place. But this place even in its worst weather is uniquely beautiful and I couldn’t help wondering to myself, how would this place look like if the weather is beautiful?
Passing a flat crater before trekking up again in thick fog
It was all foggy and raining the whole journey down towards the carpark and I didn’t take many photos as I was super-super exhausted. This trail is not for beginners but maybe for intermediate trekkers. You need to be well prepared if you decided to do the crossing. It was so hard for me and I still have sore muscles all over my body now (after 3 days).
I cried at the very last 6.3km, as my feet could not take it anymore.
I discovered how does it feels when you are too damn tired but you still need to go on. I discovered that I am mentally strong even when I am alone. I discovered the feeling of helplessness when my feet were out of its physical strength but with my will to go on and survive, I ended up winning.
Other trekkers passed by me one after another leaving me alone struggling with my incapabilities. I discovered how sad it is to be left behind. Oh and I really hate that feeling of being left behind, it is lonely … but I kept my chin up and walk slowly imagining myself doing a brisk walk at my most favourite park.
Struggling even to lift up my iPhone, ohh I am not fit … something that I need to work on
Would I do this again?
Minus all my self-discovery moments, weirdly I would say yes.
I am not done yet with this place. I definitely would do this again maybe in December when summer is here. I want to capture the beautiful landscape of this place in its most beautiful setting but I am gonna make sure that my body is fit enough to do this … so that I could see more and enjoy more of this place.
I saw colourful plants along the crossing trail … very interesting
The trail from my STRAVA
My shaky feet with that rented waterproof boot after the 8 hours journey. Yaaay! I walked 19.4km for 8 hours … victory!
Conclusion:
Feb 28, 2018. I walk the 19.4km Tongariro Alpine Crossing on my own in 6 hours. I took 37,000 steps that day equivalent to climbing 139 floors. My first time. I survived with a 3-days worth body muscle ache but feeling alive and spiritually nourished. I am glad I decided to give it a try … to push myself to exceed my limit.
That night I had the worst sore muscle ever. Sooth my body with some boiled eggs and a litre of protein (fresh milk). I hit my bed early at 9pm while listening to my best friend’s voice on the phone, soothing me down with his calm voice. He thinks that I am crazy but I assured him that at least I didn’t die.
I took the next day bus to Wellington with a victory and a bliss feeling. Alhamdullilah.
I plan to explore more of NZ during these 3 years, taking it slowly and meaningfully. Learning to improve me … while inspiring my children and people around me to do more in life than just merely living. Anybody can do this. Just do it, no excuses, please.
Excuses are just for the weaklings, and I am not!
Bye for now
Cheers,
MM
New Zealand: Tongariro National Park February 27th to March 1st, 2018
I was with my three (3) other travel companions last weekend playing with lights at Taiping, Perak. A short weekend outing to start off our new travel team (we called us the #gengbajetravel). We planned to travel together since God knows … very long time ago … but it always canceled at the very last minute. Excuses after excuses …
Then, we decided to make it happened, by hook or by crook. The weather forecast said that it’ll be raining the whole weekend … oh boy! there goes our plan for sunset, sunrise and Milkyway. We had our backup plan though … if everything failed then we’ll experimenting steel wool photography instead.
We were at Lake Garden Taiping, Perak, Malaysia as early as 4 a.m, praying for a clear sky to shoot Milkyway …but the sky was too cloudy. It was not possible so we headed straight to Plan B, light painting with burning steel wool. I was excited to try something new …
The making of Dorayaki
It was fun, experimenting new technique with good companions while listening to the frogs’ orchestra performing live background music. Always … always … always surrounded with good people, am I blessed or am I blessed, alhamdullilah.
The four of us are super crazy. Well, crazy in a good way lol… crazy seeking for something new to uplift our skill. We are very competitive towards each other but our sense of humanity are still strongly intact. I adore friend like that.
People said that your friends are the reflection of you and if that is the case, well … I want to be my friend :-p <— perasan kan?
The Cinderella carriage
Rain on fire
Steel wool photography is not as hard as I thought it would be. It’s easy to learn. I love the dramatic and artistic effect too and I am officially curious to explore more on this.
Circle of fire
My sunrise landscape
I set my camera on manual mode, the speed at 10-15″ and ISO at 250 to 400 accordingly (for those who are curious about the camera setting). Trying to incorporate “ring of fire” onto my landscape in future … just to feed my curiosity on how my landscape image would look like with this additional art.
Gotta go! Cheerios …
MM
ps – …
It’s better to know how to learn than to know ~ Dr. Seuss
MATSUDA MASHIMARU 