The original plan was to viit Taupo, have lunch there before proceeding to Wellington. However, the outlook for the day was complicated by the fact that NZ is hosting the Iron-man challenge for the first time, with 80k athletes descending on Taupo as the host city this weekend. Major roads leading into Taupo had been closed as a result for the cycling leg of the challenge. So we decided to take a detour as recommended by Google maps.
We travelled through the changing terrain that was as beautiful as the other days, with us largely content with just admiring the landscape as we drove. We didnt lose too much time on the detour, so we stopped as planned at Huka Falls to admire the force of nature, raising a loud scream as it plunged a few meters down. The rapids just prior to the falls were even more impressive. After the quick photo stop, we proceeded to Taupo. We realised that the original planned lunch stop has been cordoned off for the Iron-man event, so we opted to stop for some sandwiches and bakery items for lunch. "Baked" turned out to be a very good choice, with us being treated to some yummy Kumara burger, macaroons and falafel wraps.
After a filling lunch, I wanted to fill up petrol but there was no way to get to the petrol station, hence we decided to proceed directly to Wellington. However, getting out of Taupo proved to be very challenging, with most of the roads being closed. Google maps didn't have time to refresh the new information I guess. This led to us circling Taupo for almost 30 mins trying to figure out the exit. There was a big sense of relief when we finally made it to the state highway!
A few kilometers later, we were treated to a fascinating wonderful view of Lake Taupo, a glory too much to cover in a camera. The blue waters stretching from horizon to horizon was the caldera of the super valcano, so I involuntarily shuddered a bit thinking how big the actual volcano was, and how shallow the magma below our feet was!
The drive from Lake Taupo to Wellington through the Desert Road was one of the best drives I have had in my life, with the landscape changing dramatically. Traversing multiple sharp S curves over the mountains, we got a picturesque view of the snow capped Mt Tongariro, which dominates the show for about 30 km. Then just as we pass on to the other side, it feels like we have gone onto the Australian outback, with the desert landscape making us gape in awe. It is a completely deserted stretch, with no gas pumps or any sign of human life. However, it only adds to the allure of this barren landscape with shrubs and a mesmerising reddish-yellow hue that felt totally out of this world! This is also a very straight long road with hardly any traffic, probably the longest straight road in NZ, allowing me to zoom past at 140-150kmph without a worry. But I actually didn't want to speed as the view was too good and I wanted it to last as long as possible. I was begging my wife to take more pictures almost every km. Instead of getting frustrated, she was surprisingly obliging the request! I understood that everyone's heart melts at the sheer beauty of nature. A particular stretch that has up and down roads just left my mouth gaping. The pictures will always be etched in my mind.
After the desert road stretch, we came to Foxton, a small town with some cafes and gas. We took a halt there and I wanted to check my tyre pressures as my car was drifting left but was told that some inebriated person cut off the air pressure tubes a couple of weeks' back and they were still waiting for the fix! While vandalism was somewhat surprising in the mild natured Kiwis, what was more surprising is being directly offered "coke" when I stopped for air pressure check at the next gas station. With my love of coke, I almost said ok before I realised what he meant!
After the slight worry with my car, we were again on our way, past beautiful and changing horizons. I am already running out of adjectives on this tour 😀. After Palmerston North, you could already feel you are entering the Capital Territory, as the roads become so smooth and cruising speed limits increase. Just when I thought this will become a smooth drive, the landscape changed again without warning, from bright scorching sun to a thick fog rolling down the green hills obscuring the highway. It dawned on me that Wellington is right on the cost with the strong Pacific winds being funneled through mountains on either side making it very humid and windy place. Again it made for a beautiful drive into the city.
Catching up with my friend Madhu and his family after about 15 years was very exciting and heartwarming. We reached his house around 9pm and caught up on various topics while having a nice dinner, and I almost didn't want to sleep. He also gave me an amazing book on ancient Tamils that had me immersed late into the night.
Today was an unforgettable drive through North Island that I would strongly recommend everyone to do. I would have missed it as my initial plan was to fly from Rotorua to Christchurch, but for my friend being in Wellington.
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