The drive from Auckland to Tongariro National Park took us through a township called Temple View. It looked like a new town with three Mormon churches but upon looking it up in Wikipedia, it was established in the 1950s and is still looking immaculate.
After a lunch stop in Te Kuiti, we reached Howards Mountain Lodge at Tongariro National Park around 1500. After a brief rest, we walked out to the local convenience store to get lunch for the hike tomorrow.
I got two packs of sandwiches for lunch which I would supplement with fruits, nuts and snack bars. With some dinner places closed for the night, I made do with a pie from the store.
We all retired early and to my surprise, I fell asleep easily as I’m normally a night owl.