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In December 2008 I taught 3 WordPress courses over a weekend as part of the University of Hawai’i at Manoa Pacific New Media Outreach program. One day on my trip I visited Mauna Kea and the observatories, unaware of controversies around use of the indigenous land.

Mauna Kea visit — our small tour bus.
Mauna Kea visit — barren land along the road to the top.
Mauna Kea visit — 3 of the observatories.
Mauna Kea visit — the closed dome of an observatory.
Mauna Kea visit — an enormous telescope inside an opened dome.
Mauna Kea visit — me at the top of the mountain.
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Mounds Walk at Tongariro was another short track, with several information boards. After a few minutes there’s a view across the landscape. The Mounds were created by volcanic rubble and slabs of rock that swept down the mountain 11,000 years ago.

Sign: Mounds Walk 20 minutes return.
Sign: the Mounds are a Murimoto Formation.
Sign: this was the site of an old quarry.
Sign: the Mounds were formed by avalanche debris.
A view across scrubby mountain flat with a mound in the middle.
Another view across scrubby flats at the bas of the mountain.
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The Tawhai Falls Track was very short but led to a really nice waterfall. Midwinter and two young men were wrapped in towels having just been for a dip. Brrr!

Sign for Tawhai Falls Track 800 metres return.
A tiny beach at Tawhai Falls.
Tawhai Falls blue water and rocks in the river.
Tawhai Falls wide view.

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9 kinds of fungi on Silica Rapids walk

I don’t know anything much about fungi, except I like to look at them. The Silica Rapids walk was bounteous when it came to fungi. I don’t know the names of any of the fungi in the photos below, or anything about them. Enjoy.

Light brown fungus on a stalk in leaf litter.
Chestnut brown domed fungus on leaf litter.
Side view of the chestnut brown fungus.
Many slimy seeming greyish brown fungi on a tree trunk — top view.
Many slimy seeming greyish brown fungi on a tree trunk — as seen from below.
Many slimy seeming greyish brown fungi on a tree trunk — close up from below.
Tiny flat blue fungi on a tree trunk.
Three bulbous blue fungi and a tiny longstemmed transparent fungus on leaf litter.
Weird bright yellow fungi that look like lollies on a small branch.
A couple of longstemmed almost pale pink fungi amongst low growing green plants.
4 lumpy cream coloured almost bulbous fungi in a clump on leaf litter.
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My Silica Rapids walk

I think the Silica Rapids walk at Tongariro was my favourite, even though the weather was a bit dull and drizzly. Native forest, alpine bogs, streams. I loved it all. Theoretically there were birds in some spots but I didn’t see them.

Native forest and broad even track.
Stream flowing over yellowed rocks.
Sign explaining the yellow comes from iron and clay.
Board walk across alpine bog.
Sign explaining that alpine bogs form in small depressions with a thick lining of clay like a saucer holding water.
Volcanic hazards sign.
Alpine stream surrounded by bush.
Silica Rapids stream flowing across yellowed rocks.
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Why is it anyone wants to live in Auckland? Three news items in a row in my feed this morning: a home shot at, a stabbing, and a woman dies after an assault — all in Auckland.

Consecutive news items in my feed reader.
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My Lake Rotokura walk

Lake Rotokura is near Waiouru and is an easy ~30 minute walk, although there were a few fallen logs to clamber over. There were several interesting fungi. The ‘dry’ lake had water in it, along with a heap of dead trees still standing.

At Lake Rotokura walk sign — 15 minutes one way.
Sign advising that the top lake is sacred.
Purple berry shaped fungus at Lake Rotokura.
At Lake Rotokura — snow covered Mt Ruapehu behind the trees.
At Lake Rotokura a fallen log a metre plus in diameter.
At Lake Rotokura brown and white fungi on a log.
At Lake Rotokura the dry lake.
At Lake Rotokura a light brown fungus on a stalk.
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Before I went off walking I relaced my boots. In my photo the right boot is the old way (how they came from the shop). The left boot shows the new, incredibly much more comfortable, way. I should have done this a year ago… If you’ve never seen Ian’s Shoelace Site you should look.

Two boots on my feet with different lacing patterns.
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It’s not fair to laugh at a dog who’s old, blind, mainly deaf, frail, etc, but sometimes I have to: Sasha was looking intently at the gap between the fridge and the pantry with the firm conviction that’s where I was. I was at the other end of the lounge calling her… 🐶

Small black dog looking at a gap in the kitchen.
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We have to accept the little facts of life. Bland indifference is a start, but cheerful whistling is even better.

Source: Accepting The Little Facts of Life

Thanks @kitt for the link to this.

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Woohoo, the book I co-wrote in 2006 is still earning me royalties. What shall I do with my 17 cents, I wonder?

Statement showing quarterly royalty earnings at 17 US Cents.
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This 22 minute doco is a delight: Inside the wonderful world of Hairy Maclary creator Lynley Dodd. What Kiwi doesn’t know the immortal words: “Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s dairy”, along with the characters Slinky Malinki and Scarface Claw?

Screenshot showing author Lynley Dodd with some of her characters as stuffed toys.
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I somehow got this free: A Dealer Dead Ahead (Law & Carter Cozy Mysteries Book 1). I read it to the end but didn’t care for it a whole lot. It just wasn’t very good, in any way. I might read another if it were free. Maybe this author gets better as she goes along? 📚

Book cover: A Dealer Dead Ahead.
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My Tongariro National Park visit — summary

Last weekend I visited Tongariro National Park to do some short walks. The winter weather was very obliging and I had a wonderful time. My favourite was the Silica Rapids Walk, even though it was a bit misty / drizzly from time to time. If I could only do one walk in that area it would be that one.

I stayed at Riversong Retreat in Horopito. It was very comfortable and the hosts were friendly, helpful and relaxed.

One thing: it’s winter and maybe that makes a difference, but I was hoping to see and maybe take photos of lots of birds. I saw and heard very few birds. Most of the walks were silent. On the other hand, I saw quite a few and diverse fungi.

Saturday 02 July 2022

At Lake Rotokura near Ohakune, Mt Ruapehu in the background.

Sunday 03 July 2022

  • Silica Rapids Track — 6.8 Km (started at the bottom, went to the rapids and returned, rather than walking the loop)

    Silica Rapids with its yellow rocks.

  • Tawhai Falls Track — 1.0 Km

    Tawhai Falls go over rocks into a blue green pool.

  • Mounds Walk — 0.38 Km return

    Scrubby flat landscape from Mounds Walk Track.

Monday 04 July 2022

Tuesday 05 July 2022

Map of the area with locations marked.
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Took me a while to get to this, but then I really enjoyed The Murderer’s Son (Jackman & Evans Book 1) by Joy Ellis. Of course. Ellis is an excellent writer: 📚

a man called Daniel Kinder walks into Saltern police station and confesses to the murder.

Book cover: The Murderer's Son.
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These fungi on the Mangawhero Forest Walk at Ohakune were very white.

White fungi on at tree trunk, from below.
White fungi on a tree trunk.

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I rounded a corner on a trail and saw a dark lump on this branch. Then I realised it had a short tail. Then I saw the eyes and pointed beak that told me it was a Ruru. I took a sec to get my phone out and it left silently. (Photo re-uploaded)

Nikau palm with a horizontal branch.
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It only takes 3 and a half hours to drive home, and that includes a detour to a track. I should visit this area more often: stunning scenery, amazing short (and long) walks.

Map showing a route from Horopito to Waikawa Beach.
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One of my favourite photos from today’s Taranaki Falls track — steps just beyond the Falls.

Taranaki Falls track steps.
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From the road to Whakapapa — look leftish and there’s Ngauruhoe; look rightish and there’s Ruapehu.

Ngauruhoe, a cone shaped mountain with a snow covered top.
Ruapehu, a broad mountain with a snow covered top.