You approach what seems like a funnel and the road tells you, ONE LANE BRIDGE (we found a variation with ONE LOVE BRIDGE).

One lane bridges are a quintessential New Zealand experience. Here’s a fine example where everybody shares, cars and train. Blinking red lights had never been more important.

Astazi ma sacrific iarasi. Mihai conduce dar ‘trebuie’ sa guste cineva toate berile, cidrurile, vinurile si alcoolurile tari artizanale din insula de sud. Au harti speciale pline de mini fabricute si plantatii viticole. E pacat sa nu (nu?). Mai ales cu vremea de azi, ploua ploua, ploua (vreme de betie?).
Asa ca, asezata langa semineul electric cu cele 5 feluri de cidruri diferite din doar fabricuta asta, va anunt ca alcoolul in NZ este foarte bun si variat. Dupa vreo 18 vinuri gustate, 6-7 alcooluri tari, cateva beri si multe cidruri la activ, pot sa spun ca oamenii astia stiu sa faca si isi iubesc alcoolul.

Aujourd’hui avec le temps pourri, c’est encore moi qui ‘doit’ gouter l’alcool artisanal de la Nouvelle Zelande ( Mihai conduit). Devant moi, les 5 cidres de stoke, ils en ont suffisamment (alors qu’ils sont specialises surtout en biere, imaginez un peu l’autre menu) pour me faire un tasting complet. Alors c’est du travail surtout qu’on vient de sortir d’une hyper mini entreprise ou ils produisent de l’alcool tres varie (dc bcp de choses a gouter) a 40 degres. Hier j’ai aussi rajoute 6 autres vins chez ‘the doctors’ sur mes 10 autres. Faut dire qu’on est sur l’ile du sud que depuis quelques jours, mes neurones font une crise d’angoisse en anticipant le massacre. Mais faut dire que ces zelandais savent ce qu’ils font et aprecient tous l’alcool.

Accessoirement ils ont aussi la ‘ capitale du monde du cafe’ et autres appelations mais bon, ils l’importent. N’empeche c’est bon aussi. Mihai peut aussi boire un truc bon quoi.
Bautura lui Mihai in timpul asta ( dar sa nu-i plangem de mila, sunt cunoscuti pentru super cafea (importata) in Noua Zeelanda).

Dupa Rotorua si vulcanii sai (post in curs de scriere 😉 ne-am miscat spre Tangariro National Park si trecerea lui alpina cu o mica oprire la cascadele Huka.

After Rotorua and its volcanos, we drove towards Tangariro National park and its crossing with a short stop at the impressive Huka Falls.

Ziua urmatoare, dupa o trezire nu chiar matinala am pornit spre Mordor si inrinderile lui arse. Inca dinainte de a incepe sa urcam, de departe ne astepta Mount Doom, vulcanul Ngauruhoe, si craterul lui. Impunator. Regretam ca nu l-am urcat dar ne-am promis ca la urmatoarea vizita.

The next day, after a not so early breakfast we made our way to Mordor, the real Mordor. Even before the start of our trek we saw Mount Doom greeting us from afar. The Ngauruhoe volcano and its crater. Hard not to stand in awe before it. We regret not hiking it, it will have to be for our next visit.

Am ajuns si ne-am pus pe mers. In jur un peisaj vulcanic, in spate campii, in dreapta Ngauruhoe. Liniste cat sa te pierzi in imagini si chiar sa iti arunci ochii dupa vreun hobbit urcand. Am urcat pana la baza vulcanului si ne-am oprit sa admiram.

We got there and started walking. All around weird volcanic landscapes, behind us unbroken plains, to the right the imposing Ngauruhoe. Silence and you could get lost in the sights and look around for hobbits on quests. We hiked to the base of the volcano and we stopped to admire.

Am traversat platoul spre trecerea alpina. Vulcan in spate, vulcan in fata si sentimentul ca defapt ne aflam in mijlocul unui crater. Pamant si roca neagra si arsa in jur, ramasite ale eruptiilor si laharuluu. Daca pana acum fusesem norocosi cu soarele, in fata ne asteptau nori si ceata ce ne-au inghitit cu munte cu tot. S-au mai raspandit cat sa vedem lacurile.

We then started crossing the large plateau before the upward slopes to the alpine crossing. A volcano behind us, another in front of us and and the unshakable feeling we’re walking inside a crater. We were lucky until now but in front of us clouds and mist waited and swallowed us and the mountain. They broke off just enough to see the lakes.

Am regasit perspectiva si peisajele de-abia dupa inca vreo 3 ore mers, pe partea cealalata unde lacul Taupo se intindea albastrul umpland un imens crater de dimensiunea Singapore. In total 7 ore.

We found light and sight after 3 hours, on the other side where lake Taupo, an actual flooded volcano crater the size of Singapore, stretched its blue waters. 7 hours of breathtaking sights.

A doua zi ne-am oprit la al doilea Mount Doom, Ruapehu si apoi ne-am mai oprit o data pentru a-l admira de departe. Peisajele sunt extraordinare, aproape am auzit orcii calarindu-si lupii.

The next day we made a stop at the second Mount Doom, Ruapehu and stoped again to admire it from afar. The landscape is terrific, We could almost hear the orcs riding their wolfes here.

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