By Friday afternoon I had arrived at The Lodge or ‘Staffies’ as it is locally known. Staff accommodation is located in Whakapapa Village at the base of Mt Ruapehu. Over the next two weeks the number of residents increased from around twenty when I first arrived, to an impressive sixty. The atmosphere is similar to that of university halls, with everyone living, working and playing together.
Mt Ruapehu and Whakapapa Village are both located inside Tongariro National Park, one of only 29 dual World Heritage sites in the world. Noted for both its cultural and natural importance, the area has significance for local Maori as well as being home to outstanding volcanic features.
It was two days before I was able to experience any of the beauty on offer due to a low settled mist, which is apparently often the norm. I wasn’t to be disappointed when the skies cleared, standing on our dining room balcony I was able to look out at a wide stretching landscape, flat green interspersed with rolling hills and volcanic peaks. Just off to the right is Mt Ngauruhoe, better known as the fictional Mt Doom in Lord of the Rings.
The remote location is wonderful, within five minutes of leaving home I can be making my way along one of the many local walks, quickly losing sight of any civilisation. I have so far made my way round two of the shorter walks, Taranaki Falls and Silica Rapids, both less than three hours loop.
Vegetation in the area is an eclectic mix of reds, yellows, oranges and greens. I learnt the bright reds and oranges are a survival tactic, helping the plants withstand harsh cold alongside intense sunlight over the winter months.
And finally I mention work, the reason I am stationed in such an astounding location. Things kicked off with an introduction morning, where we were given information on how things are run, the mountain and keeping safe whilst here. We were also blessed with the opportunity to watch several Maori songs and dances performed by local school children. It was touching to see how much emotion they put into their performance and great to see such an important part of New Zealand culture, especially being aware how close they were to Maori heritage being wiped out.
Following the introduction I had two days up the mountain in the rental department, being bombarded with information on how to fit ski and snowboard boots, skis and snowboards to each person. The few of us who were to be cashiers also had some till training thrown into the mix. It was an intense but fun couple of days, now we just had to wait for the mountain to open and customers to arrive!
