On labour day weekend we did the Pouakai Track near Mt Taranaki with Keith, Antoine and Tuan. It was supposed to be crowded in the huts due to the long weekend so we brought our tent - but the guys at the visitor's center convinced us differently as the weather was going to be pretty bad. They said we might not even be able to stand up straight... and true: it was really stormy in the first night. We slept on matresses on the floor around the fireplace and could hardly sleep because the hut (on the top of a mountain) was shaking in the storm.

Saturday the conditions were poor: lot's of rain and strong winds. But we were prepared, so it was actually really fun! We were crossing a swamp that day and got very close to a big waterfall. Rain is quite a very good fit for that sort of landscape - in the end New Zealand is only this green because it does rain from time to time ;)