New Zealand - Day 11

We left Rotorua today and drove south to Taupo, around Lake Taupo and up into the Tongariro National Park to visit the Grand Chateau, a remote hotel where the Lord of the Rings cast and crew stayed while filming in the area. Another short drive further up took us to "Mordor" but it was shrouded in cloud so we couldn't see much or take photographs. After a debate about whether or not to stay a night in the Grand Chateau we decided not to and headed South to Ohakune.

Danger, kiwis crossing!

In Ohakune we booked into the Powderhorn Chateau, a timber constructed hotel also used as a base for the Lord of the Rings cast and crew. It was a rainy afternoon so we did laundry and hung out in our hotel room with the hotel cat Kitty as well as going down to the hotel bar for a nice meal (I had lamb, Jen had pizza).