Mt. Ruapehu (left) is a volcano, and you can keep an eye on it here. Despite the fact that Ruapehu occasionally "sighs" (Eruption according to one Maori Legend), Mt. Ruapehu is home to New Zealand's two largest ski and snowboarding areas: Turoa and Whakapapa. That was where I touched snow for the first time in my life if I remembered correctly. Rather close to it and also a volcano, there's also Mt. Ngauruhoe (right).
I've lost count of how many times I've been going up and down North Island in the past six months, let alone in the past few years altogether.
