In recent years Rupert and I have enjoyed walking in the mountainous areas of Wester Ross in Scotland. We usually took a couple of days to get there and stayed for at least a week.
It is really special therefore to be able to hop into the car on a Saturday morning , drive for 2-3 hours and find ourselves here.
This is Mount Ngauruhoe, an active volcano, now known to millions as the Mount Doom of Lord of the Rings.
The track took us up to 1200 metres above sea level, where we left the car and proceeded along a well defined and well maintained footpath to the foot of the most recent lava flows (1974). These are still dark and knarled, whilst the older lava rock is covered in beautiful lichens and moss.
This is potentiallly hostile country, and all available information reminds of essential precautions and of the fickleness of the weather. Nonetheless, all mod. cons. are provided before the real ascent begins.
One could be forgiven for being lulled into a false sense of security, especially when the sun is shining.
We moved into the steeper climb and got to the South Crater (1700metres).
This was enough for us. Estimating how long it would take to get back to the car, how many more hours of daylight there were, and noticing cloud which was rolling down along the valley beneath us, we returned.
That was on Sunday. On the Saturday we had begun the ascent from the other side of the mountains, up through the bush and high enough to see the steam from the Ketetahi Springs.
The full Tongariro crossing from one side to the other takes seven to eight hours. We hope we shall do it before too long, although we will probably wait until Spring when the days are longer. One young Scandinavian we met had just achieved it in 5 hours, and he did not even look tired!
We had not booked any accomodation, but saw a sign to a lodge, which took us down a track. Here, on the very edge of Lake Taupo,(the vast lake in the centre of North Island), we found a very good restaurant. They apologised that their accomodation (lakeside chalets) was 70's style and awaiting renovation. Who cares if the decor is a little tired, when the bed is warm and comfortable, the water piping hot, the food in the restaurant of a high standard and the view in the morning like this:
Monday evening 10.30pm, 11.30 am in the UK. Quite a keen awareness that I have not written, either in the weblog, or to anyone back home for the last seven days.
The weekend before last I attended a retreat in Hamilton, where the intention was to explore mindfulness and being fully present. This was a fairly gentle retreat, as retreats go, but challenging nonetheless. It quickly demonstrated how readily the mind takes us back into memories and past associations, or forward into anticipations or expectations. So seldom is it quiet enough to experience and truly know what is happening right now, without distraction, bias or prejudice.
A conversation repeats itself quite regularly. It centres on these sort of questions:
When did you arrive? Which part of England are you from? How do you like it here? Are you out here permanently?
What do you miss most? Will your family be visiting?
Just as before we left everyone seemed to know someone in New Zealand, so everyone here seems to have connections with, or sons and daughters in England. Inevitable, really, given the country's history, but potentially producing a disturbing feeling of being neither here nor there. The next public holiday is the Queen's Birthday on June 5th. More British than the British!
Taking some wise words from the retreat, why be thinking of leaving (or not), when we haven't even arrived yet. We may be here physically, but are our minds racing backwards or forwards?
So, what has being in New Zealand been like in the past week.? There has been more walking, once up Kakepuku Mountain and once up to Ruapune Ridge in Pirongia, both times in perfect sunshine and with the effort eased by the slight winter coolness in the air. The views at the top were magnificent, or to use the vernacular 'awesome'. This is a much used word, and it is not hard to understand why. When you are literally surrounded on all sides by the magnificence of nature, and most of it shows little of man's interference, then what is there to do but stand in awe and gratitude that our little lives are played out in such splendour.
As to the working week: Alongside the job itself, Rupert is also busy taking exams and tests to have his European qualifications validated by the NZ Aviation Authority. He is doing fine, and now that our sea freight has arrived, benefitting from being able to cycle as well as walk to work.
I have been nest building: buying lamps, making curtains,
filling pots with plants,
and cooking. Today I started a drawing class, tomorrow I have my first lesson in the Maori language, and on Friday I plan to do some gardening, working with patients suffering from mental illnesses. I have settled for a while with one yoga class each week, and still have no plans to resume teaching. There is too much to learn, and having time to explore without the pressure of teaching is a gift I am still relishing.
Thanks to those of you who have posted comments. It is very good to feel that contact, when it is physically impossible to write individually to everyone.