You'd think that it would be Samoa. It's not - well not yet anyway! Ready for it? It's Mount Ruapehu.
As a child we visited Mt Ruapehu, the family staying at the Skotel a couple of times.As a teenager I visited the Magic Mountain and appreciated the experience, perhaps getting in touch with the inner self (what on earth does that really mean anyway?), one of those almost spiritual mountain-top experiences, one could say!
When my children were young I bought time-share at Turangi and introduced them to snow-sports. Over the years we enjoyed National Park Ski Lodge, then rented and bought various properties in Raurimu, and Manunui, Taumarunui.
I was desperately keen to avoid watching my legs go in different directions so I avoided that 'crazy' sport skiing. However when snowboarding first came in, knowing that my feet were bolted together on one board, I got up the courage and bought the gear. So, I was one of New Zealand's early adopters and loved it from day one! Remember that young ones as you show off your snowboarding prowess! I spent way more than a decade encouraging others to enjoy the experience of Mt Ruapehu taking people to the mountain whenever I could.
It's a truly amazing mountain that serves up changeable weather, has height to get us above the clouds; or height to get us into the clouds; height enough to catch some wicked winds and storms; height enough to capture the snow; and height enough to give unbelievable runs from top to bottom. As I
Definitely my most favouritist place on earth!
Some photos for your enjoyment:
http://www.dennis.co.nz/images/ruapehu-late-morning.jpghttp://www.dennis.co.nz/images/ruapehu-early-morning.jpg
http://www.dennis.co.nz/images/ruapehu-mid-morning.jpg
http://www.dennis.co.nz/images/ngauruhoe-dusk.jpg
http://www.dennis.co.nz/images/ngauruhoe-late-afternoon.jpg
http://www.dennis.co.nz/images/ngauruhoe-midday.jpg
http://www.dennis.co.nz/images/ngauruhoe-summer.jpg
http://www.dennis.co.nz/images/ngauruhoe-sunset.jpg
Some paintings for your further enjoyment:
Cecilia Choi, a Korean friend of mine first experienced Mt Ruapehu with her young family as a guest of ours.An artist/teacher in her homeland, she undertook to develop a career as an artist in New Zealand too. The first work here is a rendering of Mt Egmont (Taranaki) and the second one is a commissioned work from the top of the Whakapapa skifield looking down over the Pinnacles to Mt Ngaruahoe. Nice.
Stirs your soul eh?
Tagwords: Ruapehu
