the journey starts

Three of us - Kirsten and I, as well as Nick, a student teacher from Minnesota who we met in Wellington and had a week off at the same time (better known as Magnum, P.I. from Halloween night) took off for a week of hitting the tourist spots on the North Island.
After picking up a almost-too-small rental car, we headed for Tongariro National Park by way of the Wanganui River Road, about 50 miles of gravel winding through and around the hills of the Wanganui river valley.
The scenery, as pretty much always in this country, was outstanding. The road and its small villages had the air of rural solitude - we met perhaps five cars on the whole road.