A few days on the volcanic plateau

There was a wee bit of snow on Mt Ruapehu. 

We took off for a few days to the centre of the North Island to go up the mountain and have a hot pool moment. Stayed in Turangi, a ski and trout fishing town and it was pleasant to walk by the river and take scenic drives up to Ruapehu and around Lake Taupo the next day.

Tongariro River in the golden hour, but the trout weren't running that afternoon.

Mt Ngauruhoe on the road to Ruapehu. They are both active volcanoes: Ngauruhoe hasn't gone off since 1975 but Ruapehu erupts more often and is often a little steamy. (Its alert level is usually level 1 = minor volcanic unrest).

A bit further down the road. Lake Rotoaira with Mt Tongariro behind. Tongariro is also active - although it looks like a big hill its last eruption was 2012.

Drove half way up Mt Ruapehu and then caught the sky waka gondola. 

Up we go!

Looking northwest from the top of the gondola.

Lovely day up there. Calm and warm weather for helicopter work, bringing in supplies for lodges and ski lift maintenance. Entertaining for us watchers having a coffee.

Selfie reflection in the sky waka cafe window.

A bit hazy going down but we saw Mt Taranaki about 200km away over on the west coast:

And Mt Ngauruhoe next door:

Headed off for a thermal dip after that and a walk around the Tokaanu hot pool area.

Stopped at the town of Hunterville on the way home to visit Junk and Disorderly. Deciding whether to buy this Arne Jacobsen chair for our new library room = pretty comfortable but, nah. We did buy a record and a magazine rack and an old tap and several books and a round vase and a box of unused photographic glass slides. Gotta love a second hand shop.