Tongariro Crossing Trailhead	Mt. Ngauruhoe
Red Crater	Red Crater with Mt. Ngauruhoe

Day 10 (12/31): Today starts out early as we are planning to do a long hike. We tackle the Tongariro Crossing. The Crossing is touted as the finest one-day trek in New Zealand. We are in for a long hike that is moderately challenging. The weather looks okay so we're on our way. We see three volcanoes, climb "Devil's Staircase", cross a crater, view Red Crater, navigate a scree slope, pass Emerald Lakes, cross through a lava desert, then drop back down through heather and then rain forest. Meanwhile, the volcanoes cause their own weather patterns, so we have hot baking sun, cold, high winds and fine weather interspersed. It was an epic adventure not to be missed but best done with a good guide. Exhausted, sore and sunburned, we returned to the lodge where we clean up and rest up for our New Year's Eve celebration and our final night together. Bill and I arrive fashionably late to the fly-fishing demonstration before dinner. After a glass of champagne and some hors d'oeuvres we moved onto dinner. We celebrated with more cracker presents and streamers. After dinner Jo finally told her long anticipated joke and we laughed uproariously. Then we had a fun time with a white elephant gift giving where we all got some Kiwiana to take home. I almost got the poopy sheep but settled for a shot glass. I'm consoled by the fact that poopy sheep went to a good home. Bill got a deck of cards I plan to use to entertain myself on the plane flight home. We celebrated the new year at 10pm so the folks that had to leave early the next morning could call it a night. A few of us decided to stay up to ring in the new year. Jo showed us some constellations in the clear night sky. We saw some things we can't see in the northern hemisphere like the Southern Cross and an upside-down Orion (or the Pot, as it's called down there). I also saw the constellation Taurus, my astrological sign, which I had never seen before. The time flew by as we chatted with everyone. At midnight, there were streamers, sparklers, bagpipes and hugs and kisses. It was a wonderful New Year's celebration. Sleep now.

Bill & LeAnne Just off the Trail

New Year's Eve Dinner at Tongariro Lodge

Playing for the Poopy Sheep