More Turangi - Day 6

Fathers Day - Sunday Spetember 2nd.

We decided last night that today we would go for a bit of a tourist tiki tour as we may not be back here again. We left the house at 1000am and took a lovely drive down to Waiouru via the Desert Road with the might amazing Mount Ruapehu, it was very overcast and drizzly and the cloud was very low, we thought well we wont get to see the mighty mountains and it certainly looked that way the closer we got to Waiouru. However as luck would have it the cloud slowly started to lift we took some photos from the Desert Road side of the mountain jsut incase we didn't get anymore. We drove onto Waiouru and Brian wanted to go on down to his old navy haunt Irirangi, the old building is still there however it is no longer a radio communications building, it now is some kind of stock feed place. We took some nice photos of some sheep and the mountains and then headed back via Waiouru and onto Ohakune via the National Park. Ohuakune is now thriving winter ski resort, we stopped here for a coffee and comfort stop and took some photos. Driving on we were amazed at the greeness of the countryside and the beautiful snow capped mountains. We continued onto the Chateau at Mount Tongariro, the scenery was just amazing clear clear blue sky we could not get it any better. Another coffee to be had at the Chateau and some photos for remembrance. It was so clear we could easily see the chair lifts up on the mountain. We drove back to Turangi via the scenic route, and booked to go out for dinner for Father's Day - Happy Father's Day Brian and my (wonderful darling Dad Angus Small - RIP). Brian and I went out for dinner at the "Lakehouse Restaurant at the head of Lake Taupo , past the Tokanau thermal pools - no hot pools tonight though. The food service and presentation was superb we would definately go back there again if we ever are back that way. We arrived back home as full as a tick.