Ngamoko and Karangahake

I left Napier at 6pm on Friday and headed north along highway 2, a beautiful drive reminiscent of driving to work at the hell hole in my previous life. I was heading to Te Urewera NP and Lake Waikaremoana, which took for ever because of the windy windings. As it started to go dark I decided the campsite I was aiming for was too out of reach so I set up campage by the lake.
Well, frosty wind made moan, earth as hard as iron and water like a stone; the only plus being snow hadn't fallen snow on snow. I couldn't get the fooking tent pegs in and it was blowing a ruddy gale. I would have given my kingdom for a mallet.
I did manage to hammer the back pegs in with a shoe to some extent and had to sleep at the front of tentage, hoping that my body weight would halt a 'Dorothy from Kansas' scenario. Did I say sleep? A more accurate description would be lie with eyes shut, listening to howling and flappage.
I got up after zero kippage and headed for the visitors centre only to find the campsite was 2 minutes further down the road, doh! Still I did sneak in and have a crafty hot shower;)

I spent the morning on the Ngamoka Track, a 2 hour climb up a forest covered mountain. I was getting tree withdrawals and feeling rather entish so it seemed a good idea.

I'm looking rather tree entish myself! Who stole my right arm and replaced it with a gnarly old branch? I need to eat more cake!

This is some big old famous tree but the photos don't do it justice...

I copied the tree blurb for anybody who may be interested:)

I didn't see a single living soul and spent the time singing Queen's 'don't stop me now' at the top of my lungs (skydive tunage for those of you who haven't watched the video)...it reminds me of a road trip I once took to Brighton. I think I may adopt it as my anthem so I'd better learn the fooking words ha ha. Anyways all very idiot abroad meets Jane McDonald.

When I got to the top I was rewarded with stunning views...

Virginal, indigenous forest as far as the eye can see, a great place for ent spotting.

More stunning views...

And a tardis, where exactly in time would I like to go? Tuesday 19th March 2013 methinks. Still as far as I'm aware scientific theory may depend on time being non-linear but we haven't managed to travel faster than the speed of light just yet. Being stuck in the present is a pretty cool place for Adilady right now:D

I climbed down the mountain at about 3 and hopped in the sunny to make my way to the family Clegg. Highway 34 is the best and the worst of roads. It cuts right through the virgin forest and mountains; simply stunning. It is a single track gravel road for more than 100km; anything over 40k caused the sunny to slip and slide and I had a few close shaves. Talking of that, I happened on a couple of lasses who had turned there car upsidedown in a ditch, very shaken they were so I gave them a lift to the nearest town of Rotorua. I wanted to take a photo for bloggingtons but it didn't  seem appropriate.

I arrived at family Clegg around 8pm, Nic was fishing for the next day's supper and Kirsty and I watched The Green Mile with a box of tissues at the ready before turning into bed.

Sunday was a very chilled affair with nothing much to report, I did my washing, we ate fish, I drank too much, we watched Moby Dick.

Monday I headed off to the Coromandel Peninsula via the Karangahake Gorge, a gold mining heritage site.

 I walked along the Windows Loop as opposed to climbing Karangahake Mountain, very unlike me to take the easy option which made me smile. Kris used to say 'Adilady, why do you have to make everything into a challenge?' I guess the answer being I like to operate outside my comfort zones both physically and mentally. I get a kick out of climbing mountains, hurtling out of planes and exploring the unknown with just me and tentage. I enjoy the company of people who ask difficult questions and make me reflect (is that a euphemism for squirm?) One day my body and mind could all go to seed so I need to make the most; look at poor old Granny Ellie. I guess she has had the luxury of reaching dotage and got to the ripe old age of 100! I don't know why but I was thinking about my dear dear friend Sam today and how it all went to seed for her so early in her beautiful life due to the cancer in her brain. I remember the first signs of the beginnings of the end and how brave she and her husband were the last time I saw them together in their house. I need to stop and remind myself of that more often to ensure I don't  take my health and youth for granted; I have been accused of that several times by people I have met along the way. Mental note to self, e mail Neil, Sam's widower as soon as WiFi becomes available. If you're reading bloggingtons Neil lots of love to you from NZ and let's do beeros on my return:D

I'm all alone in tentage and it's dark outside, I guess that's why I'm feeling maudlin all of a sudden, I have even made myself cry:( Still, all is good with me. I'm happy and healthy and off to Hot Water Beach tomorrow. Apparently I can dig a hole, sit in it and it will fill with warm water, how cool is that??? I will report back to you as soon as I get the chance. This is Adi lady saying big love to you all and over and out xxxxx