Rest in Ohakune (rainy days)

Tuesday 13/02

We wake up around 8:30am.

We have nothing on the programme today, and same for tomorrow most probably. Quite unusual… We indeed anticipated the bike day (yesterday) and the next ‘good weather’ window (such window is required for the Tongariro Crossing) is on Thursday. Since they’ve turned out to be pretty much accurate so far, we tend to rely on these weather forecasts (both from the iPhone and from MetService) to organize our activities. There’s such a big difference between a 8-hour trek in good and bad weathers!

After a good breakfast outside, we go to the information site (i-SITE) to get some info about the Tongariro Crossing. Afterwards, we go to the shop where we rented the bikes yesterday (Mountain Bike Station). The kids want to enjoy the great (and fun) climbing walls of the shop. They stay there more than 2 hours (with Isabelle). After some grocery shopping (at New World), I go back to the camper to work a bit on the blog (after a week of “absence”).

After lunch (salad), kids do 2 homeschooling sessions, while I work on the blog. Heavy (short) rains during the afternoon.

I booked a spa (hot jacuzzi) in the camping, at 6:45pm. Nice.

We eat pasta.

While I work on the blog, Isabelle starts preparing the Chile. She soon realizes that one of the highlights of the trip (the 5-day W trek in Patagonia) is most likely too difficult with the kids. It depresses her a little.

 

Wednesday 14/02

Vlog by Jules: see below

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By me:

It’s Florence’s birthday today! She’s turning 13. Another teen in the family…

Today it’s the second rest day in a row, due to weather.

The weather forecast is once more pretty accurate: the sky is grey and we have rain from time to time.

I go to the i-SITE; they confirm that tomorrow should be good (we can never be sure about the weather when we are so close from mountains). I therefore book shuttles for tomorrow and confirm the rental of the camper for an additional night. I’m very excited to do the ‘Tongariro Crossing’, which has been labeled as the world’s greatest single day hike!

Kids do 2 homeschooling sessions (except Florence, who is exempted today).

I work mainly on the blog today, to catch up a bit.

Kids play a lot (together) on MineCraft, in the camper.

Ludivine cooks cookie dough for Florence’s birthday (we went to the New World in town to buy some ingredients + ice cream).

After the showers (which are excellent in this camping), we take an aperitif before going to a restaurant in town (a pub in fact). We eat quite well, sharing a fillet, a salmon steak and pork ribs. I hope Florence is happy. I find birthdays without present a bit sad…

We come back quite early (8:30pm) in the camping, where we eat the dessert.

Everybody is in bed by 9:30pm, while I work till 12:30am.

After these 2 days of rain, it’s difficult to believe that tomorrow will be a beautiful day…

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