Day Four - Mount Ruapehu

Well, you can try guessing who is that, but no prizes for the right answer!

As can be seen from the photo(s), we went up to Mount Ruapehu which is literally covered with snow. And obviously with snow, it is very, very, extremely, super, duper, cold. It wasn't enough even if you were wearing 4-5 layers; it's just so cold.

Mount Ruapehu was formed because of an eruption.

Have you ever wondered? That in the past, we wouldn't have any ways to actually scale these snow mountains because these areas were dangerous and there weren't proper roads..

However, it is due to Globalization, that there is advancement in technology, transportation and communication, which have enabled us to scale these snow mountains by building roads and placing underground cables to 'transport' electricity from the bottom of the mountain, to the Ski Resort on the top of it. They also had chartered buses from one part of the mountain all the way up to the snow-cap part of it.

Also, one reason why there is a Ski Resort up on the mountains is so as to provide leisure facilities like skiing and sledding for tourists! They even had a 'restaurant' whereby tourists can rest, take shelter and keep themselves warm with the fireplace and food. The Ski Resort also had a store which sells equipment needed for the activities available there.

Despite such weather conditions, people are still willing to take the risk and open a resort on Mount Ruapehu because they know that tourists were bound to go up and being the only one there, they would stand to gain alot economically with a high revenue..

After going up the the snow-cap mountain, we travelled down and came to a stop for packed lunch at this pavilion/hut thingy.. Well, it was quite surprising that in such a position whereby very little people are expected to stop by, there is actually a resting place. With toilets!! Very convenient and it also shows that even in rural areas, technology advancement is still visible.

And then we came to the Silica Rapids/Rimu walk..

Those yellow parts of the rapids which you see are actually sulphur.

We then came to Tangiwai, where there was evidence of a recent mud lahar that descended from Mount Ruapehu in March 2007.

After which, we went to a viewing place thingy and see from the top, Lake Taupo.