#1 New Zealand's Greatest Hike: Tongariro Alpine Crossing

It was 29th February 2016. And I decided that a #trek across the alpine crossing is a good way to spend the leap day in New Zealand.

---

The trip was organised by my housemates of the time, two weeks before leap day. Try to imagine the excitement as we waited. As some of you would know, the Lord of the Ring location of Mordor, home to the Dark Lord Sauron was shot on location on and around the rocky slopes of the #Tongariro National Park. This means, trekking the alpine crossing would allow us to have a taste of what it's like to be in Mordor. Aside from that, the famed Mount Ngauruhoe was used as a stand-in for the fictional Mount Doom in the film.

Here in the picture, I was trekking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
行走在汤加里罗国家公园里最受欢迎的徒步点— 汤加里罗高山过境点。

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing in Tongariro National Park is heralded as the best one-day trek available in New Zealand. It is said that one would normally take 8-10 hours to complete the trek. While the idea of walking up a hill for that long hour scares us, we were determined to complete the journey because we knew it would be worth it.

#throwback to my friend looking thrilled while standing on top of the world.
丟回 我朋友站在世界頂端的那一刻，超级兴奋。

Our reward that came after sliding down that steep slope - the mesmerising Emerald Lakes.
滑下超級斜坡後，有此壯觀的風景，讚！ 迷人的翡翠湖呀！

They are called the Emerald Lakes because of its colour. The Emerald Lakes can be seen filling up the explosion craters. Their brilliant colours are partly caused by dissolved minerals, which were washed down from the thermal area of nearby Red Crater, which you can see in the photo below.

Just chillin. #redcrater at #tongarirocrossing
没什么，就只是在喷火口旁闲着。

The surreal moment when we walked at the edge of a crater; I've always dreamt about this since young. In the background is the amazing Mount Ngauruhoe that was used as a stand-in for Mount Doom.
走在火山口邊緣的超實感，夢想成真。照相里背景的火山正是瑙魯霍伊火山。

For your information, Mountain Ngauruhoe was first climbed by J. C. Bidwill in March 1839, the ascent being from the north-west. He reported that “The crater was the most terrific abyss I ever looked into or imagined … it was not possible to see above 10 yards into it from the quantity of steam which it was continually discharging” (excerpt taken from Wikipedia). As for my friends and I, we didn't make it up to the peak of the mountain because we didn't have the proper tools and shoes to do so. It would have been really exciting to climb the mountain because it is an active stratovolcano or composite cone in New Zealand, made from layers of lava and tephra.

Despite the foot ache I was already having for days, I was determined to complete the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. No pain, no gain; all for the amazing view that could only be witnessed with my own eyes.
徒步前几天，我伤了我的右腿。带着疼痛的腿，我誓死都要把过境点走完。我觉得这是所谓的"no pain, no gain"。全是为了美丽的风景，独一无二的景色。

I will never regret this trip. And it's possibly the one reason why my trip to New Zealand was thrilling. because the rest of the time I was just working. Now, that is one tick off my bucket list. To see me tick off more things off my bucket list, follow me for more of my adventure in New Zealand!

All photos were taken with #GoPro Hero Black 4.