Toby and Tessa 'slept in' for the first time this trip so I got up and went wandering and seeking coffee. National Park was almost completely deserted. I found some at The Park Hotel - I saw was one receptionist, one barista and zero guests. But the coffee was good.
We had one destination today - take the Whakapapa Sky Waka Gondola to Knoll Ridge. Toby hadn't been up since the Gondola was put in, and Tessa hadn't been past Happy Valley. It was a beautiful day and showed off Mt Ruapehu at its best.
I just bought the gondola ride (along with 50% seasons pass discount for me). In hindsight, the buffet lunch would have been better value. Compared to winter, the restaurant takes over far more space and the cafe food is more expensive and more limited. The buffet looked really good, too.
And now it was time for home. Traffic was heavy and slightly annoying but we had a mostly uneventful trip straight home. It was great to see Angela waiting for us at the garage!
That was a wonderful long weekend break and really good to get time in with Toby and Tessa before they head south. Hobbiton is a must see. And we got to see more of the North Island that I've never been to before. So much fun.
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