National Park

This is such a different place than any where else I have been. People here are hikers. Some of them have just finished 6 and 7 day hikes and some are just beginning. Others are here doing 1 and 2 day hikes but it is definitely not a party hostel. Everyone was in bed before 10 and up before 7. It is 9 in the morning and the place is almost empty even though last night there were over 50 people in the dining room at the same time.

What an interesting group of people...ages 18 -63 from all over the world..at this little hostel in Tongairio National Park. The village of National Park is about 1/2 mile-1/4 mile in size and has about 220 permanent residences. The scenery is awesome as we are on a high altitude plateau with three volcanoes to the east and some small mountains to the west. We are situated almost in the middle of the north island of New Zealand.