Ruapehu

When we came through the Desert Road on our way to Taupo it was 10 o'clock at night so although Mt Ruapehu was glowing (because of the snow on it) I couldn't get a photo.

That's okay I thought. On the way home we'd be driving down in the middle of the day and I'd get a beautiful blue sky, white snow, gold tussock photo. Ha! Not to be. We rushed through the area today, to beat the predicted snow. The sky was a glowering shade of grey, hiding most of the mountain and there was no light on the tussock.

However, something to celebrate, we did get through to Palmerston North where we are staying tonight.

Tomorrow we are expected to take the ferry across the Cook Strait to Picton, then drive home to Murchison - but it's already snowing heavily through Murchison/Nelson Lakes and I hate to think what the Strait will be like for our mid-day sailing. Could be a somewhat entertaining trip home.