Tongariro Crossing, NZ

SATURDAY

The day didn’t quite go as planned. I skipped the Parkrun, expecting the roofer to arrive—but frustratingly, he was a no-show. 

The weather was good and I washed Harriet's and my own car and then cut the front lawn, which is still growing vigorously thanks to the unseasonably mild weather. It was so warm for the last day of November that I ended up working in shirtsleeves. Late afternoon, when Prue arrived home from her trip to Yorkshire, I gave her car a wash too.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world it"s already December, and Harriet and George embarked on the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing which is celebrated as the best one-day trek in New Zealand and ranked among the top ten single-day treks globally. The route is no walk in the park— 12 miles, featuring steep ascents and challenging descents.

As the photo shows, the weather in the region can be wildly unpredictable. The National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers a breathtaking mix of alpine scenery and dramatic volcanic landscapes with craters and Emerald Lakes (one of which is just visible in the background).