Mount Taranaki - sight at its best

Yeah, the early bird catches the worm … :-)

We get up early because we still haven't given up hope of getting a view of the volcano. The weather forecast indicated a one-hour window for clear visibility in the morning.

Upon waking up, the outlook does not look good. Hazy clouds cover the sun, and we are unsure if we'll get a view today. We at least want to reach the lookout point for the volcano, which is about three kilometers away. Since we also want to check out at the same time, we try to get to the reception. But all the doors are locked. Crazy, they don't start serving breakfast for willing guests until 9 a.m…. However, one of the staff is awake and notices that we are at the door and comes out. We explain to him that we are checking out and want to return the key. Afterwards, we want to go to the lookout point. The kind man gives us a tip: There is a new bridge since spring that allows you to cross the Manganui Gorge. It is 109 meters long, 1.2 meters wide, and spans the approximately 50-meter deep gorge. He encourages us to check it out.

Let’s do it! After a few kilometers and overcoming some altitude, we arrive at the parking lot, from where a footpath leads to the bridge. Meanwhile, or perhaps because we are above the clouds, the view of the cone of Mount Taranaki is almost clear. The sunshine adds to the experience and provides a fantastic view of the over 2,500-meter-high volcano. From the valley, misty clouds keep rising up.

We head towards the Flying-Fox-Bridge and are almost alone. It’s a swinging suspension bridge construction. While very stable, it is still not a solid construction. We walk together until we reach the bridge access. I know that I won’t cross it, but Thorsten probably will. He takes his first cautious steps because the bridge naturally moves with every movement, every step. Additionally, the floor is patchy, and he says it almost feels like a glass floor. Good decision on my part not to join him …

Thorsten walks all the way across the bridge and comes back. He is alone on the bridge, and it sways with every step. Moreover, there is a strong wind… I wonder what it would be like with several people walking on the bridge. I don't think I want to find out …

We take photos and head back to the parking lot. On the way back, we notice that the mist has increased, and at times, we can no longer see the volcano. Bingo – we made the right decision!