Christina’s Journey Journal

Tag: Māori culture

  • Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand 🇳🇿: Beauty, Burn, and Bragging Rights (March 21, 2026)

    Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand 🇳🇿: Beauty, Burn, and Bragging Rights (March 21, 2026)

    We set off at 7:30 am for the 20.2 km (~12.6 mile) hike on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Before we even took our first step on the trail, there was a quiet moment that felt different from every other hike we’ve done.

    At the start, there was a small ceremonial bowl of water. Brendan and I paused and washed our hands—simple, quick, but meaningful. In Māori culture, this connects to the idea of moving from tapu (sacred) to noa (balanced, safe to proceed). It’s a way of acknowledging that this land isn’t just beautiful—it’s spiritually significant.

    And standing there, about to hike (aka tramp) across an active volcanic landscape considered sacred, it felt like more than just a gesture. It felt like a reminder to tread with respect.

    Then we tightened our packs and set off on one of the most challenging and stunning hikes we’ve ever done.

    Ready to go!🚦

    🌿 The Gentle Lie: Mangatepopo Valley (The Beginning)

    We started optimistic, energized and slightly overconfident. The trail eased us in with a relatively flat, boardwalk-style path through the Mangatepopo Valley. It’s scenic, open, and led us to believe this was going to be manageable.

    We chatted. We admired the views. We said things like,

    “Wow, this isn’t bad at all!”

    Lol. The innocence.

    🪨 The Reality Check: Soda Springs to Devil’s Staircase

    Enter: The incline.

    The climb up to Soda Springs woke up our legs, but it’s the Devil’s Staircase that officially humbled us (well, maybe me more than Brendan). A relentless series of steep steps that felt like you’ve truly arrived in Hell.

    At this point our conversation decreased, our breathing increased, and layers started coming off (turns out five layers was ambitious).

    Lots of stairs. Lots and lots of stairs.
    And more stairs.

    And yet, you look up and the landscape is already becoming otherworldly.

    🌋 The “Why Are We Doing This?” Section: South Crater & Red Crater Climb

    We got a brief reprieve crossing the South Crater—a wide, flat expanse that feels like walking on another planet.

    Eventually we walked in that same cloud behind us once we ascended.

    Then we saw it.

    The climb up Red Crater.

    Holy moly. THAT WAS HARD. In fact, there’s even a sign after the Devil’s Staircase that says it’s about to get even harder, so if you want, turn back now.  

    It is definitely the hardest cardio part of the hike. It’s steep, loose, and requires equal parts determination and stubbornness. I didn’t think it was going to end.

    There was pain on that face disguised with a smile 😊

    But when we finally reached the top and stood at the highest point of the crossing, we were surrounded by raw volcanic beauty that made us forget (temporarily) how hard that really was.

    💨 The Descent That Tests Your Balance: Red Crater to Emerald Lakes

    Going down sounds easy. It is not.

    The descent is steep, covered in loose volcanic gravel, and feels like walking on marbles. It’s less “hiking” and more “controlled sliding while trying to look graceful.”

    This is also where my hiking poles officially became MVPs. Absolute lifesavers on the downhill—10/10 recommend if you enjoy having functional knees. Thank goodness for them otherwise I may have gone right off the edge. So many people were sliding and falling down, Brendan and me included. 

    But then—just as we’re  questioning everything—we see them…

    💚 The Showstopper: Emerald Lakes

    Bright, surreal, almost impossibly green.

    The Emerald Lakes look like they were photoshopped into real life. The contrast against the dark volcanic terrain is unreal! Suddenly everyone forgot their exhaustion and turned into a photographer.

    First glimpse of the 3 Emerald Lakes! Take a look at that downhill slide…everyone was stumbling and falling.
    That is steam coming up from the ground, which is created by groundwater that is heated by magma. It is also called a fumerole emission.

    This is where we paused. Took it in. Smelled the sulfur. Wonder how something this harsh can also be this beautiful.

    The stunning green color comes from dissolved minerals, including sulfur and calcium carbonate leaching from the thermal area.
    Take a closer look at the lakes (and the path to get to them😳)

    🩵 The Long Way Home: Blue Lake to Ketetahi Descent

    From here, the hike shifted yet again.

    We came to Blue Lake where we ate lunch, admired the calm, and watched the water change colors and sparkle. 

    Look at the clouds reflected in the Blue Lake!🩵

    Then we began the long descent down the other side. And when I say long, I mean long.

    This section tests your endurance in a completely different way. It’s less intense, but it just keeps going. And going. And going.

    My knees started negotiating. Our feet filed complaints. Brendan and I definitely hit the “are we there yet?” phase, more than once.

    But the views opened up again, stretching out toward Lake Taupō in the distance, reminding us why we’re doing this hike.💙

    🌄 The Finish Line 

    When you finally reach the end, there’s no dramatic finish line—just a quiet, deeply satisfying sense that you did something hard and worth every step. However, had there been “finisher medals” handed out, I would’ve kept that medal for the rest of my life and proudly displayed it in a prominent place! 🏅

    We finished in just under 7 ½ hours, tired, dusty, and fully in awe of what we had just experienced.

    Done!

    🥪 What We Brought (and were very glad we did)

    This is not a hike where you want to under-pack… but also not one where you want to wildly overdo it either (speaking from experience).

    Water: 

    I carried 2 liters of water in my hydration backpack + a Powerade. I drank every last drop. Brendan carried 3 liters of water, a Gatorade, and two extra bottles of water. He only had those two extra bottles left at the end.

    Equipment:

    I used my new Leki hiking poles, which were absolute lifesavers on the downhill. They’re also easy to pack as they fold up very small and have a carrying bag. Brendan did not use poles but he’s also 30 years younger than me lol. 

    Even if you don’t have knee problems, it’s very common to have knee issues on the way down because your quads are so taxed and there are a million steps. OK, maybe not a million but it sure felt like it.

    Food: 

    Our amazing hotel, Tongariro Crossing Lodge, packed us a perfect lunch—Ham and cheese sandwiches, chocolate, apple and granola bar. Plus we had some other snacks from a local gas station.

    Clothing: 

    As mentioned above, I wore five layers, which, in hindsight, was aggressively unnecessary.😂 Better safe than sorry as some days may be colder. 

    Weather: 

    We couldn’t have asked for a better day. Other than the time we were actually in a cloud, it was mainly sunny. Keep in mind that you constantly need to be checking the weather up to the point when you hike, and then you may even have to turn around if the weather is too severe. Keep in mind that this hike is pretty wide open so sunscreen and hats are a must.

    Also, we went through so many different biomes—volcanic, rolling hills, prairie, forest, jungle. I’ve never been on a hike, so diverse before.

    Transportation:

    Where are you start the hike and where you end it are two different places. Therefore, you don’t want to drive and leave your car at one end because you won’t have it when you finish.

    Therefore, our hotel booked us a ride both ways with Dempsey Buses. Worked perfectly.  They picked us up at 6:45 am and then brought us back to the hotel when we finished. Pick up time is either 3:00 or 4:30 (or you call them and they’ll pick you up after). We made the 3:00 pm. And it was a good thing we did because we had a 4-hour drive to Wellington after we finished the hike. 

    Altitude:

    Throughout the hike, we ascended 3,002 feet, we descended 4,170 feet, max elevation was 6,194 feet, and the minimum was 2,513 feet (thanks to Brendan’s Garmin watch).

    Attitude:

    Better bring a good one or that 6-8 hour hike will be miserable. Keep that positive mindset, think safety first, and enjoy the surprise around every corner.

    🤔 Reflection

    The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is physically demanding, mentally challenging, spiritually grounding, and visually surreal.

    We came for the hike. We left with sore legs, incredible views, and a much deeper respect for the land we crossed. It was worth every ache and pain that, hopefully, Advil is going to cure.

  • Kia Ora 🇳🇿! Off to the land of 🐑🥝🏔️🎬🏉🌿…

    Kia Ora 🇳🇿! Off to the land of 🐑🥝🏔️🎬🏉🌿…

    I feel like a kid on Christmas morning about this adventure!

    New Zealand🇳🇿

    Home to 25 million sheep, that’s 5 sheep per every person.

    Where “kiwi” is used to describe 3 things—a bird, fruit (always call it kiwi fruit), and people from New Zealand.

    Where the landscapes are diverse and spectacular like the Southern Alps, fjords like Milford Sound, volcanic landscapes, geothermal fields, glacier lakes, and dramatic coastlines.

    Where Middle-Earth was created (and filmed) for the Lord of the Rings movies and the Hobbiton really exists.

    Where you find the incredible Māori culture, and rugby is almost a national religion. In fact, the All Blacks is one of most recognized teams in the sport and the haka is mesmerizing.

    10 fun (and some surprising) facts from my research.

    1️⃣ It’s one of the last landmasses humans settled on Earth when the Polynesians arrived between AD 1200-1300 🗺️. While the country is an archipelago of some 600 islands located in the Pacific Ocean, there are 3 main islands —North and South, where 99% of the population lives, and Stewart Island, which is primarily a protected national park. In fact, 30% of New Zealand is protected land. We will be traveling from the North Island, starting in Auckland, to the South Island. The two islands are separated by the Cook Strait. While in Auckland, we will we will venture to Waiheke Island.

    2️⃣ In 1893 New Zealand became the first country where women could vote.🗳️ One of the dedicated women behind the movement, Kate Sheppard, appears on the $10 New Zealand banknote.

    3️⃣ There were no native land mammals when humans arrived (except bats). Birds then evolved to fill those roles and for this reason, the Kiwi bird is flightless and ground-dwelling.

    Let’s stay on the Kiwi bird for a minute because I find them fascinating and cannot wait to see one in the wild.

    Say what?? The Kiwi’s nostrils are at the tip of their beak. Every other bird in the world has nostrils near the base of their beak, close to the face, because birds rely on vision to find food, touch, or vibration.

    But Kiwis hunt by smell and evolved differently because…you guessed it, there were no land mammals. They are nocturnal forest foragers.

    A momma Kiwi bird lays an egg that is 20 times her body weight😮. To put that into perspective, it would be the equivalent of a 150 pound woman giving birth to a 30 pound baby! The papa bird sits on the egg for 70-85 days, which is one of the longest incubation periods of any bird.

    4️⃣ New Zealand is known as Aotearoa, the Māori name meaning “Land of the long white cloud”. There are 3 official languages: English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language (making it one of a few countries to designate sign language as an official national language).

    5️⃣ There are glowworm caves and we will go to Waitomo to see thousands of these glowing larvae light up the cave. Starlight underground.🌟

    6️⃣ Lollies! Which means candy. And when you have a sweet tooth like me, you get to know the various lollies you’ll encounter.😂 Get ready Pineapple Lumps🍍 and Jaffas🍊🍫…I am coming for you!

    7️⃣ 🍷New Zealand produces less than 1% of the world’s wine but what they do produce is well known and dominated by the Sauvignon Blanc grape. The Marlborough region holds over 70% of the country’s vineyard area.

    8️⃣ It’s a darned long flight! It is going to take ~12 hours from San Francisco. We cross the international date line and jump ahead to the future! For example, we’re leaving SFO on Saturday at 10:45 pm and arrive Monday morning at 8:00 am.

    9️⃣ Driving is on the left and the driver sits on the right. And the seasons are opposite since we’re in the Southern Hemisphere. We’re getting ready for spring in the USA, and fall in NZ. Can’t wait to gaze at that Southern sky!

    🔟 I learned a few new words and customs in anticipation of the trip:

    Sweet as = awesome, no problem

    Togs = swimsuit

    Jandals = flip flops (my favorite)

    Tramping = hiking (which we will do)

    The Hongi = Māori greeting where two people exchange the breath of life (ha) by pressing their foreheads and noses together. It means unity, equality, and the exchange of mana (spiritual power). How beautiful.❤️

    Now I sit back, relax, and fly✈️ to the home of world class wine, the flat white, commercial bungee jumping, Hokey Pokey ice cream (per capita, New Zealanders eat the most ice cream 🍨 in the world-my idols!), jet boating, Manuka honey, Whittaker’s chocolate, and pavlova (although disputed by Australia as to which country invented it). Oh, and New Zealand has no native snakes!