I've often heard that the USA and Great Britain are divided by a common language, but I think the same is true for Great Britain and New Zealand. When we were planning our tour down under we really liked the sound of a guided walk to the crater lake of Mount Ruapehu. The instructions said a reasonable level of fitness required and sensible footwear; well I go to the gym three or four times a week and I bought a nice pair of lace up gold trainers when I was in Gibraltar. I felt fully equipped. Admittedly I didn't bother to find out anything about the mountain, or Tongariro National park, but I did walk up Ben Nevis twenty three years ago; how different could it be?
Our walk commenced with us being picked up by minibus from our hotel. Our driver took one look at my shoes and sniffed expressively. I explained that they had very good soles and he grudgingly passed them. As we entered the minibus our spirits were raised by the sight of two rather overweight ladies in trainers flimsier than mine. Hopes were dashed when we got dropped off at the bottom of the mountain and the ladies stayed on the bus.
Was it anything like Ben Nevis? No.
Our walk commenced with us being picked up by minibus from our hotel. Our driver took one look at my shoes and sniffed expressively. I explained that they had very good soles and he grudgingly passed them. As we entered the minibus our spirits were raised by the sight of two rather overweight ladies in trainers flimsier than mine. Hopes were dashed when we got dropped off at the bottom of the mountain and the ladies stayed on the bus.
Was it anything like Ben Nevis? No.
There were just four of us and our guide on the walk. The other couple were a good twenty five years younger than us and it wasn't long before I realised that this was going to be the hardest thing I had ever done. The gold shoes were fine - it was me that was the problem. Our companions asked the guide if there would be any climbing during the day - no, it would be all walking. Here is where the difference in understanding English comes in, walking to me does not mean crawling up concrete steps on all fours.
We had been warned to bring at least two litres of water each as there would be no water to drink on the mountain. Now water is heavy but I dutifully packed two bottles in my rucksack because I knew I would need a drink after a couple of hours.
After a couple of hours we arrived at the café, where there was a wide variety of refreshments including water. I was a bit miffed to be honest with you. We had a rest and at this stage I thought that I could probably reach the summit and see the crater lake. After all it was just scrambling up rocks wasn't it? No; at this point the rocks started to be mixed with snow.
After a couple of hours we arrived at the café, where there was a wide variety of refreshments including water. I was a bit miffed to be honest with you. We had a rest and at this stage I thought that I could probably reach the summit and see the crater lake. After all it was just scrambling up rocks wasn't it? No; at this point the rocks started to be mixed with snow.
I was starting to have doubts as to whether the gold trainers were really up to the job. Still I was hoping that we might get back to rocks quite soon, as I really did not want to give up. We reached a hut, and I had to confess to the guide that I didn't think I could walk on snow much more. He replied in a Good King Wenceslas type way that I could follow in their footsteps. I agreed to give it a try, and off we went again until we reached a snowfield that stretched from where we were to the top of the mountain. People were skiing down it. That was it, I had to confess that this wasn't really the walk for me. Although I felt guilty, I felt I owed it to the gold trainers not to put them through three hundred metres of snow climbing.
Actually our companions didn't feel up to snow climbing either - it was a bit steep - so we agreed to return to the café and take stock. The thought of the café kept me going as we tumbled and scrambled down another snow field. I fell over twice and Christopher fell over once, but we made it safely and I was heartily relieved. Our guide suggested another route, but we were happy to stay where we were, while the youngsters went off to enjoy themselves getting soaking wet on another snow field.
The Knoll Ridge Café is the highest café in New Zealand and it is lovely. It was no hardship to wait for the others for a couple of hours. We had our packed lunch and afternoon tea and watched the ski lift.
The Knoll Ridge Café is the highest café in New Zealand and it is lovely. It was no hardship to wait for the others for a couple of hours. We had our packed lunch and afternoon tea and watched the ski lift.
As we waited we discussed different interpretations of the terms 'guided walk' and 'sensible footwear'. When the others returned, exhilarated but wet, we had the briefest of brief discussions as to whether we would walk down or get the ski lift. I knew I couldn't possibly get down the concrete steps so it wasn't much of a decision for me; all I had to do was overcome my numbing fear of ski lifts. It is amazing what you can make yourself do when there is no alternative, and actually I really enjoyed the ride down.
Although we didn't see the crater lake, we had done and seen a lot of things that I certainly had not expected. I read later that Edmund Hillary had trained on Mount Ruapehu, so I feel quite pleased that I managed to get two thirds of the way there. However the best part of the whole day was arriving back at Chateau Tongariro and collapsing into a hot tub for an hour.