Today we travel from our friends, the Barclay/Frank family in Papamoa Beach (northeast North Island), to Turangi (central North Island). On the way, we went to the Redwood Forest outside Rotorua again, as MK had slept through the first time we visited. As we headed south, we went to Wai-o-tapu, a geothermal park, with a range of colourful pools. They had imaginative names for the features, including Devil's Ink Pot (almost black simmering mud) and Champagne Pool (turquoise coloured bubbling hot pool - only 74 degrees, but the bubbles are actually carbon dioxide). Our next stop was Aratiatia Rapids, where the dam discharged its water at 10, 12 2 and 4pm. We waited for the spill and watched the river rise rather slowly, but to an impressive level. Further south we reached Huka Falls. The flow of water was massive through a rather narrow 'gorge'. Next stop was the town of Taupo where we stocked up on food for the next few days. We then drove along the eastern side of the massive Lake Taupo (size of Singapore) to get to Turangi, where we will spend the next 4 nights.
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| Champagne Pool |
Highlights
MK: All the smelly bits (loaded with sarcasm).
MJ: Inferno Crater - had violently boiling mud at the bottom.
MH: Devil's Bath - a most unusual colour pool of almost fluorescent yellow/green (for the scientists - mix of sulphur and ferrous salts).
Logbook:
08:30 (535 km) Breakfast of toast, pasta and oats.
10:15 (535 km) Packed up and left Papamoa Beach.
11:10 (603 km) Redwood Forest. Took some photos and bought a t-shirt. Shopping at Pak n Save.
12:30 (637 km) Wai O Tapu geothermal area. Had lunch of ham and rolls. Saw many different colourful varied formations. The favourite was Artist's Palette, Champagne Pool and Devil's Bath.
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| Devil's Bath |
14:30 (637 km) Leave Wai O Tapu.
15:30 (685 km) Aratiatia Falls. Had to wait till 16:00 to watch the spill of the dam.
16:00 (685 km) The river rose by metres, rocks got washed over, reeds were pushed over, ducks were swept aside.
16:45 (698 km) Huka Falls. That is a lot of water going through a narrow gap.
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| Huka Falls |
17:50 (704 km) Shopping at Pak n Save.
18:30 (754 km) Turangi Bridge Motel. Rooms 14 and 15. Had dinner at the motel. Calamari, fish and chips, pork belly, lamb cutlets, etc.