12/08/2018 - 6,000 steps to happiness

Yesterday, we woke up with a good feeling. The weather forecast promised blue skies and sunshine, and that's exactly what we got. We couldn't wait to start our planned hike to the Pouakai Tarns. But before we set off, we fueled up with a generous breakfast - in addition to sandwiches, we also had scrambled eggs, bacon, raw vegetables, and fruit. In high spirits, we drove to the starting point of the hike. During the 35-minute car ride, we kept our eyes on Mount Taranaki.

The car was parked, supplies were packed - we were ready to go! The first destination was the Pouakai Hut at an elevation of 1,210m. The estimated hiking time for the one-way trip was 2.5 hours. The trail began by crossing a swampy area and then entering a densely forested area. From that point on, the volcano was no longer visible. Over time, we reached a well-maintained hiking trail. We climbed step by step, using wooden boardwalks and stairs.
Speaking of stairs, there were plenty on the track! The internet says there are about 3,000 steps. We didn't count them, but we can assure you that there are seemingly endless stairs throughout the entire hike.
Step by step, curve by curve, short flat passages for long, steep ascents. We found it difficult to gauge how fast we were actually going. (There was no specific goal in sight.) Occasionally, we had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the sky. Alarmingly, we noticed that the sun had disappeared behind thick clouds ... But we didn't want to give up.
Eventually, after approximately an hour, the bush opened up and we reached the first open section, which offered a view over the flat plain. From that point on, we continued to climb up the mountainside, but this time with short lookout breaks. We crossed another bridge, climbed flooded stairs, climbed over loose rocks, and rounded the next curve.
After about 1.5 hours of continuous uphill hiking, the hut came into view. It couldn't be far now! At 12:10 pm, exactly 95 minutes after starting the hike, we enjoyed the expansive view from the terrace of the Pouakai Hut. There were a handful of other hikers in the building. The crackling fireplace provided warmth, and we took a short break to have a drink. We didn't stay long and soon returned to the trail towards the Pouakai Tarns.

There are countless pictures of the small, well-known pond which adorn posters, postcards, and social media platforms. It's not the purity of the water or the pond itself that made it famous. It's the perfect reflection of Mount Taranaki on its surface! But taking a photo of this postcard motif requires the best weather and an (almost) cloudless sky.

And that's exactly what we were hoping for on that day. So we ignored any exertion up to that point (which, by the way, was limited) and walked the 30-minute path from the hut to the pond. However, upon arrival, we were disappointed. The weather had changed suddenly. Instead of Mt Taranaki, we were presented with a large, dark gray wall of clouds ...
Well, we sat down on the wooden boardwalk and ate the prepared sandwiches. We hoped for an improvement in the weather, but it didn't happen. So, slightly disappointed, we started our return journey at around 2:00 pm. It took another 90 minutes until we reached the car again.

If you think that going downhill is less demanding than going uphill, you're wrong. Descending over 3,000 uneven steps is just as strenuous and puts a noticeable strain on the thighs, calves, and knees.

After this disappointment, only one thing helped: Fish & Chips! Luckily, there was the best Fish & Chips in "Oakura" that we had ever eaten in New Zealand! Crispy fries and crispy fish that fell apart just by touching it - exactly what we needed after the exhausting trip.

Today started again with beautiful sunny weather. Tobi jokingly asked at the breakfast table if we shouldn't take the path to the Pouakai Tarns again?! For this crazy endeavor, I set one decisive condition: Not a single cloud should be visible in the sky and around Mount Taranaki! Well, what can I say? At 11:00 am, we parked the car at the foot of the mountain and set foot on the trail once again, which would lead us up to the hut and the pond.
At the beginning, we still couldn't quite believe that we were embarking on the staircase-filled ascent again. But what else could we have done? We waited almost a week for better weather, and now we were going to make excuses? Not us.
This time it was much easier to keep our bearings. Significant landmarks (such as the small cave, triggered animal traps, the swampy tree stump, ...) gave us a sense of how far we still had to go. And behold - despite slightly tired legs from the previous ascent, we exceeded our time and beat the hike's estimated duration set by the DOC (Department of Conservation) by a whole hour! ;)
Once again, we didn't hesitate for long and went from the Pouakai Hut to the Pouakai Tarns. Before reaching the small pond, we were amazed by the views. Mount Taranaki with its snow-covered peak and white slopes was completely and unrestrictedly visible. This time, the visibility extended even further - on the distant horizon, his colleagues, which are located in the center of the North Island, unexpectedly appeared for us.

The "Tongariro National Park" with its three volcanoes "Tongariro