| A Sampling of Tongariro National Park Visitor Center Displays | ||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Togariro
Visitor Center |
Volcano Display |
Volcano Display |
Erosion Display |
Seismograph
Display |
Our next stop was at another
ski field, this time it was at the Whakapapa ski area of
Mount Ruapehu. There we boarded the Skywata gondola to take
the 1.8 kilometer ride to the top. The Skywata is the
longest gondola ride in New Zealand, passing over rocky
volcanic terrain before reaching the Pinnacle, the
highest restaurant in New Zealand, at the end of the trip.
In winter this is the starting point for downhill skiers,
while in the summer the cafe at the summer is the jumping
off point for taking the hiking trails on Mount. Ruapehu.
The panorama above shows the view from the cafe terrace. We
attempted to make a 360 video of the gondola ride, but the
reflection off the car's window made it less than ideal.
Below we have added a much clearer video from
EGO and, below that, some photos from the summit.
| The Skywaka Gondola and Pinnacles
Restaurant (click to enlarge) |
||
 |
 |
 |
| Skywata Info |
Arriving at the
Top |
Snack Bar |
 |
 |
 |
| View from the
Terrace |
View From
Pinnacle Restaurant |
Snow Machines |
On the way to the train
station the bus pulled off the road to admire the Makatote
Viaduct, the last and highest trestle in the North Island
Main Trunk. When completed in 1908 it opened the Central
Plateau to European settlers and the needed resources to
sustain life. With its completion there was a rail line
running the length of the North Island, from Auckland to
Wellington. Transporting steel from Christchurch proved
impractical so a workshop was built to fabricate the steel.
It was also used as a cafeteria for passengers visiting the
national park. As a testimony to the engineering soundness
of the original viaduct, very few alterations have been
made. There were some additions in the 1920's and 1960's to
carry heavier locomotives, and in 1982 and 2007 the two
tallest central piers were underpinned (a process explained
to us by our resident engineers) to ensure the ongoing
viability of the structure. Below is a video of the viaduct
by Kiwi rails explaining its construction in more detail. It
is followed by photos of the viaduct.| Makatote
Viaduct (click on photo to enlarge) |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Makatote Viaduct |
Maktote Viaduct
Sign |
Maktote Viaduct
Plaque |
Underpinning of
Makatote Viaduct |
Following our visit to the Makatote
Viaduct, we still had some time to kill before boarding the
Northern Explorer for the last time. So, we enjoyed some "pub
grub" before boarding the train at 1:40 in the afternoon. Back
on board we enjoyed an afternoon tea and nibbles, followed by a
hearty dinner. It was early evening when we pulled into the
Wellington train station. Below are a few photos of the scenery
as we traveled from the mountains in Ohakune to the port city of
Wellington.| Scenes
from the Northern Explorer (click on photo to enlarge) |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
The tour hotel choices continued to
impress as we spent our Wellington stay at the
Intercontinental Hotel. We arrived in the evening, so no
time for sightseeing today. However, the hotel is
close to the waterfront and near our Wellingthon "must
see,"-- the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum. And the icing on the
cake--we had a king size bed and a corner room. We rested,
ready for a full day of sightseeing in Wellington.
