22 degrees, rain am, partly sunny pm
Left Wellington in the rain and drove up State Highway 1 towards Tongariro National Park, about 4 hours drive away. This road followed the west coast and the countryside was not as pristine as that on the opposite side of the mountain range, especially on the outskirts of Wellington which was much more industrial, but still very tidy. As we moved further up the coast the landscape changed to hills, hummocks and folds again and the countryside looks prosperous. Drove over a hill and was suddenly confronted with a snow capped mountain, Mount Ruahepu in the Tongariro National Park; took us by surprise.
Reached the national park by driving through desert uplands with mountains as a backdrop. Arrived at our hotel, Chateau Tongariro, at about 3pm. The hotel was the only building of significance as far as the eye could see. It was built in 1929 in the style of a French Chateau and it’s interior is more or less how it would have looked then with heavy, dark drapes hanging from stone pillars and chandeliers everywhere. Even the music being played was from the 1930s, Dad would have loved the music!
That’s Clare on the balcony above the pillared entrance way!
Had a quick dip in the basement hot pool, very quaint and then ate dinner in the posh restaurant, an excuse to get dressed up and put on heels, Clare not John.