Now Taupo is the biggest lake on NZ which is allegedly formed from volcanic explosions many moons ago, when the ash filled crater became full of water and the lake came to be. It is a busy tourist town with all things adrenalin and shuttle buses into the Tongariro crossing. A bit of a poor mans Queenstown. Last time we were here we stayed in a Mauri hostel in the centre which was very good.
On arrival at our digs this time, it was once again run and owned by Mauri but the place was a little tired and needed a few bob spending on it. Still the sheets were clean and as a place it was OK. It was a good forty minute walk into town along the lakeside. We had a shuffle round town a glass of pop and a curry before returning to our digs in the pouring rain!! We arrived back a little damp.
The following day it was cloudy but dry so we headed up towards the thermal capital of NZ Rotorua. We didn’t actually get to the town but to a thermal valley on the way. It was quite an experience going through with geysers, mud pools and hot springs everywhere and at the end you got the bus back to the car park!!
On the way back we stopped off at Kerosene Creek which is a thermal steam where you can bath in the hot waters. Sadly when we arrived there were some local “bad haircuts and check shirt brigade” who were drunk and abusive with wild dogs charging around so we didn’t hang about. We moved on to another geothermal area called Craters of the Moon where I wandered around whilst Mrs D stayed in the car as she was “thermald out!”
We then returned to our tired digs and ate in after hearing two French girls tales of their tandem skydive adventure. Another unknown destination tomorrow – Raglan on the west coast near Hamilton, surf country.
Pix are from top left – a pukeko on Taupos' shore, 2 pix from the volcanic valley and 2 from the craters of the moon.
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