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| Going Up |
The mountain views would be some of New Zealand's finest in the autumn, we were told, so how we longed for a nice dry Easter Day for our 12 mile peaktop hike.
Our breakfast at the hostel just south of Lake Taupo brought pregnant cloud. The chirpy woman on the bus that took our small group to the trailhead inspected our boots and warned us we'd be getting wet. So we glimpsed the burgeoning blue that emerged an hour later with disbelief, and gulped down the crystal views, painted bright and white, with deep gratitude. It was a dry day after all, thank heavens, and we returned from our exertions having earned the bottle we set off to buy to accompany dinner.
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| Up |
It was a dry day, indeed. As we entered the supermarket, had there been some terrible accident in the wine aisle? Row after row was draped in police-style emergency blue tape. Alas, the signs attached didn't appeal for witnesses, they reminded us that New Zealand Law Prohibited the Sale of Intoxicating Liquor on Easter Day. Panic mounting, we sought reassurance at the checkout. There was none: this law applied to restaurants too, and pubs would be shut, of course.
We ate a microwaved Chinese take away meal in our hostel kitchen that evening, drinking down fine memories and a bottle of sparkling apple juice instead.
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| Coming Down. With disappointing news ahead. |
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