Rucksack orgasm
Saturday morning started with a shock. I was up early to capture Mt Ruapehu in sunrise and was attacked by one of NZ’s most dangerous animals on our terrace:
This is a carnivorous snail and it can catch and devour its prey in seconds – don’t let the harmless appearance fool you! Sunrise was nice anyway:
This was our last full day in NZ and we needed a proper highlight hike to celebrate. Tama Lakes and Taranaki Falls Track sounded like a good candidate. It was also ideally suited to trying out my new Aarn Pack for the first time! Soooo excited! And I was not disappointed, neither with the track nor the pack. đ We’d done parts of the track a few years (when we did our „Northern Circuit in a day“ trip *g*), but back then we did not hike up to Tama Lakes (we’re not _that_ crazy) and also did not see Taranaki Falls. Back in one of my favourite landscapes. Yes, I know it’s „desolate“. No forest, just rocks, rocks, and dust. That’s active volcanoes for you. But it’s fascinating and always feels a bit unreal. You’ve got two towering volcanoes (Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Ruapehu) around you and not much else. Well, except for the pretty Taranaki Falls and the wonderful Tama Lakes. In the right light, these lakes grow with hues of green and blue that you’ll rarely find anywhere else. The track itself is well-formed and not too difficult. Just be aware that what looks super easy to follow and decent weather can become a nightmare in low visibility … .
https://link.locusmap.app/r/bcmz5t
So, what about the pack? Mind blowing. Hate to repeat myself, but best piece of kit I’ve ever bought. Game changer. I’d been watching the videos and reading reviews for years, but didn’t quite believe the hype. After all, there’s so many folks in the outdoor space who claim they’ve just re-invented the wheel but better … and 99% of the time it’s a big disappointment or rip-off. Not this time. Worth every cent this pack! (Featherlite Freedom, bought at FurtherFaster) It really felt like I wasn’t carrying any weight at all – and I’d intentionally packed very heavy for a day walk (clothing, full camera equipment, 3 litres of water, etc.). „Freedom“ describes it quite well, your movements are less impeded by the harness, you feel less weighted down, you walk with a bounce in your step. Fun fact: Met another guy on the track with the exact same pack – and he was doing the exact same thing, taking his new pack on a trial hike. Great minds think alike! đ
Sunday. Time to drive to Auckland. The weather was great, so decided to stretch our legs before the long drive and took the Sky Waka Gondola on Mt Ruapehu and scrambled back down. Money and time well spent, beautiful views and the top station is a stunning building, perched on a cliff. After that, it was off North, check into the airport hotel and order some pizza at Hell because the restaurant, well, not really worth it … .
