Checked out of the hotel in Auckland and made a stop at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, which has a great collection on Māori traditional knowledge and culture. The Māori keep careful ancestries of people, plants, animals, and objects, which are all interrelated. Did you know that the giant Kaori tree is the father of the sperm whale?

We then spent the afternoon driving south to Tongariro National Park - the setting for Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings movies. First snow capped peak I have seen since April! We are hoping to hike the 12 mile Tongariro Crossing trail tomorrow, across the volcano. But the lodge reception desk informed us that due to high winds, the hikers shuttle will be cancelled. The lodge owner, who we met in the parking lot, said maybe they will change their mind in the morning.

The skies cleared this evening, except for the cloud hanging over Mt Doom. I mean, Mount Ngauruhoe. So there’s hope.