I was suppose to complete this entry last night, but i have too many thing to do at the same time, and i leave this aside until this morning.
Well continue my Tongoriro Alpine Crossing trip!
So after the first stop and the consider turning back signboard, we continue the hiking to the top of the mount, no one is turning back, including asthma patient like me.
In fact, when my asthma happened in the middle of the crossing, Simon the guide was actually wanting me to turn back, he even call to SOS center and arranged someone to come to help, but as the stubborn people like me, i stayed.
Because this is not about a hiking trip, this is all about self achievement. If i were the asthma patient and i managed to complete this trip, who else couldn't? And If i were managed to complete this trip, what else challenge i couldn't over come in the future.
This is all about self achievement, and i had achieved that, i even drop my tear after i completed the whole trip, not because of the toughness of the crossing, but i truly feel proud for myself. And friends, i do hope you feel proud for me too. =)
I was the last person who reached the first stop aka consider turning back point, i have only 5 minutes to rest while the rest like half hour, i was half hour behind the rest of the team, but its alright, as long as i not giving up.
After the first stop, Simon told me there are only 1/3 of the whole trip, the front crossing is tougher and slippery, and the worse is, the weather turning bad, no more sunshine but cloudy, Simon even though of its gonna snow soon.
But who care, snowy or sunny, too i go to the peak.
I was thinking so at that moment.
The 180' view
Crossing
Great sun, just for a few minute and later its gone
Nothing else but snow, how beautiful
And i was the last one
Random
You can never imagine there is a world of white like this in real life, i mean except snow, rock and sky, you cant see anything else, this is somehow horrible, especially i'm always behind the whole team, just like i was alone and been leave behind the whole world.
And finally, we almost reached to the peak, just few more km and we could see the famous green lake that appear in The Lord of the Ring, and so, weather too reached to the worst point.
Simon and another guide, Dave went for the have a look before let us to the peak point, the rest of us waiting and this is make us freeze! The temperature is only bout 0'c to -3'c, everyone is worry about me because right before i reached to this stop point, the absolutely cold wind chill made my asthma happened for the 2nd times.
I was tearing, i admit, i was about to give up and thought i have to go back, but the peak is just like few km away from me.
Simon told me: C'mon Rach, you can do that, just few km away and let's walk through this.
And then i reached, like everyone else, everyone who is healthier than me.
To the top, almost the peak
Frozen rock
Weather turn really bad
My mates, Will, Maggie, Alicia and the Blogger
But too bad, it started snowing when Dave and Simon went for the top to see the condition of the hike way, and at the end they decided not to go to the top, just because its really steep and slippery, and it started to snow, the weather will be worse and worse.
Although all of us are unwilling but yea, we gonna turn back no matter how.
Down to the point of closest to the peak, we stop for lunch.
First ever picnic experience
Blogger and Alicia
After short break for lunch, we crossed a flat land, and reached to the sliding point.
Everyone is climbing up, we thought we have to go though this point but Simon told us later, this is just for your fun, we're this way, come down people.
We was like...?!
Turning back
Everyone rush for slighting
And i was like, standing there and capturing
The weather is still bad, but go down from mount is way easier to go up to mount. Thanks God my asthma wasn't happen for the 3rd time, but i remain slow steps to keep my breath stable.
But the step down mount is still steep, because was snowing just now and even there are steps somewhere, its frozen and really slippery, a lot of walkway we have to slight down but not walk.
Way back
Weather still bad all the way we go back
There is a step, but you just cant step your feet on, its completely frozen
This is how step down
Snow and bad weather, no more sun
But we still had fun, writing our name on the snow
4 of us
And bye, Mt. Tongoriro
Then we finally see grass
on the ground, finally
I'm not the last one, FINALLY
Way back
No more snow
And no more Mt. Tongoriro
Another few km to got back to the bus
Simon was so impatient to wait us taking photo
We started the walk by 8am, ended by 3pm, total 7 hours of walk but we're not to the peak yet, according to Simon we missed like 3km walk, so approximatively we had 16km walk in a day.
Everyone cheer when we down to the starting point, everyone did the walk and this is a great experience, i won't believe there is a place like this in this earth until i seen it by myself. This is absolutely amazing.
And for your information, if you would like to go to this crossing during winter, you MUST booking with a guide, just search Tongoriro Alpine Crossing in the Internet and you will get the company i booked this tour, they provide all the equipment for you, including hat, sun glasses, warm clothes, shoe and pole. Of course, if you have your own you can always use yours.
Lunch is not included, but they recommend not to bring heavy lunch, meals like banana, chocolate, hot drink, brunch bar and foods or drink that light but provide energy are ideal for mount. hiking.
Beside, you gonna bring extra socks, just in case the melted snow wet your sock, you will not need thick clothes, because you're keep walking and this make you feel warm.
This is what i remember at this moment, if you have any other question or thing to ask, just give me comment and i promise i will check it regularly.
OKAY! kill one update, the next one still about snow, uh huh not hiking but skiing!
Stay tuned people!
Tauranga, NZ
20100826, 0634pm
Rach in wanna go to south mood.
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