Just testing, thanks.

[dai bread]

<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1058777/238stepsstraightdownB.jpg" alt=" - " />

238 steps straight down. Cape Palliser lighthouse, Jan. 2005.



<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1058777/Ruapehu.jpg" alt=" - " />

Ruapehu fron the Desert Rd., Winter 2004.

<small>[ 08-07-2005, 12:40 AM: Message edited by: dai bread ]</small>

[tan]

wow!, great pics!! ..and what torture to get them on..congratulations!!
tan

[tan]

..the second pic looks almost like tibet...a strange country.. nothing what you think it is from what you read....absoluttely lovely, brings back Memories.. thanKS AGAIN !

<small>[ 08-07-2005, 08:40 AM: Message edited by: tan ]</small>

[DavidS]

Originally posted by tan:
absoluttely lovely, brings back Memories.. thanKS AGAIN !

Dai - would that be in the Southern Alps?
Great!

[tan]

Naw, David, it was really the himallayas...endless mountains, mountains, moutnins- nothing on it...but the daily sahdstorm, will i ever get outa this allive?? (yes yes i confess,i do,i do,i quite liked that idea...)-ACCORDING TO MY FRIENDS I AM A HAPPILY DISTURBED PERSOM...

[dai bread]

Ruapehu is a volcano in the middle of the North Island. Yes, it is active, and has a warm lake in its crater. People climb the mountain, all 2797 metres of it, and swim in the lake, though sometimes it's a bit sulphury. The mountain did duty as Mt. Doom in the "Lord of the Rings".

Cape Palliser is at the bottom of the North Island, not far from Wellington.

[piqaboo]

nice test pix, Dai. Its tough to take a pic down that shows the perspective well. you did that. My calves hurt just from looking at that staircase.

Is Ruapehu the one that blew about a decade ago, causing flight delays (visibility limited by ash)?
My mom and I saw it go, about a week after the initial event. Special (and ?stupid?)

[dai bread]

Yes it is, Piq. It caused massive disruption to the ski & tourist industry in the region too.

Mind you, the worst thing that mountain has done that I can think of was to let a lahar loose from the crater lake on Christmas Eve, 1953. It took out a rail bridge, and a trainload of people went into the river. 151 died. The driver saw the lahar too late, and couldn't stop in time. It was about 2210 hrs, and pitch dark.

There's an extensive warning system in place now.

[piqaboo]

Oooh dear.

We drove up to the lodge and had hot cocoa with an excellent view of the mud (since all the snow melted). Definitely not our brightest hour.