Rotorua and the geothermal explorations…

Awoke to the sound of birds chirping behind the van, overcast skies. Got a leisurely start on the day, fresh coffee from the French press.

Hopped on the bikes, strapped on our helmets and away we went.

Trying to remember to “keep left”, we soon found ourselves in a small park. Oddly, the signs stated to keep to the main trails emphatically. The rotten egg scent of hydrogen sulfide and rising steam soon told us why. Throughout the park, holes in the ground belched boiling mud, hissed mineral-laden steam, or boiled a pool of water at the bottom of a collapsed cavern. Surreal in contrast to the immaculately manicured park grounds surrounding the pits.





We explored, keeping to the main trails. The park’s biggest feature was a large pool sending steam clouds skyward, the short boardwalk putting you front and center for a hot stinky view.





We continued on, following the shoreline around the lake. Vents shot steam among the buildings, odd to see people just going on about their lives while living on an active geothermal field.

There was a local sailing club setting out in their tiny catamarans, took the opportunity to shoot this “el camino” evolution, which are pretty common here in N.Z., pickups being fairly rare.



Just about every car has a trailer hitch, too.

Saw a few of these guys hanging at a small pool, awkward flight, brilliant colors, and a small white patch on it’s butt, normally unseen, that it flashes by raising some feathers as it walks away, annoyed.




The slight stench of sulfur omnipresent, we rounded a corner, to find a small section of trail running all the way to a yellow/murky bay surrounded by flat shorelines stained pale yellow from the bubbling/smoking fumaroles and hot springs. This bay is famous for it’s thermal baths and spas.






The wooden trail rails and benches were all severely blackened, to the point were it looked like they were burned. A plaque explained the slight amounts of sulphuric acid in the air over time oxidized the wood to the point that it simply turned to charcoal. Sure enough, looking close, the wood structure was all there, the edges still sharp, the whole thing was just slowly carburizing away.




Stopped at an old police station cum bar called the “Pig and Whistle”, tried their local “Swine Lager”. Nice. Light by lager standards, not a hop to be noted, a good beer to eat with pub food.

Returned to the campsite, actually got on the net, which is why you were able to read about our exploits during days 2 and 3.

Back in the van, got one station on the T.V., watched an Australian show called “Ten things to do before you die”, the Asia version. Cool. N.Z. has “New Zealand’s got Talent”, “ Who wants to be a millionaire”, etc., slight spins on the familiar shows.

Goodnight.

Awoke again to an overcast sky occasionally spitting slight amounts of rain at us. Showered, pulled up stakes, and headed south.

Today I wanted to see two areas, the competing Waimangu and Waiotapu “thermal wonderlands”.

Waimangu, the northernmost area, only came into being in the late 1800’s, when a series of eruptions tore a valley wider and laid destruction much like Mt. St. Helens. Today, the jungle’s back, but the valley floor is still an impressive patchwork of hot springs, vents, fissures, and craters.




Paid the 30 bucks each, walked down the path. Amazing. Pic just after the 1880’s eruption, and my pic today…






Frying pan lake




Hot springs and bubblers everywhere, the water coming out is too hot to keep your fingers in for more than a second.…





The most impressive feature by far, though, is the Inferno geyser. This isn’t like a normal geyser, where a huge underground chamber vents via a small surface hole, this small hole gets bigger as it nears the surface, with a shape like a huge champagne flute. Every few weeks it slowly fills, then overflows, then returns down to it’s lower levels, only to heat and rise to overflow again. Surreal. ( You’re going to get tired of me using that word about today.) Ice blue…




Mineral dropout as the hot water cools slowly creates these terraces….



Apparently even the ducks are heat resistant, this one’s only a foot away from a bubbling hotspot. Warm toes.





Walked to the trail’s end, the bus picked us up and dropped us off back at the parking lot, but not before we were routed through the giftshop.

Hopped in the van, kept cruising south. On the other side of the dormant volcano, the rift valley continued. In the distance was the nuclear-like cooling tower of a geothermal plant, providing 65% of the North Island’s power needs.

This park, Waiotapu, was more established, with older features. Walking among the craters and smoking holes, the sulphur, antimony, and iron staining the ground and depositing almost pure crystals.









One of the neatest features was a huge hot spring, upwelling from 300 feet down, carrying burnt orange minerals in it’s bottle-green bubbling effervescent water, aptly named the Champagne pool. Amazingly bright colors…






Finally reaching the end of the circular path, we stopped to gaze at the shockingly green Devil’s pool, a naturally occurring pool comprised of the runoff of the Champagne pool reacting with the surrounding rocks. Surreal.





Back to the van, saw a cool little Diahatsu Sirion in the lot…





Family along the Huka River, but unfortunately it was closed for another month. We wondered why, but I think it may have something to do with the water levels…





The river is forced into a narrow sluiceway a bit downstream called Huka Falls. Not really falls, it’s none the less an impressive sight, looks almost doable in a raft…





Wanted to actually take the Huka jet boat ride, as the advertising brochures had the boat almost halfway down the main drop of the falls, looked like a wild ride. While taking the above pic from a lookoff high above, we heard the roar of a jetboat. It did one lazy 180, pretty much not even entering the plunge pool area at all, then off back down the river. Glad I didn’t go for it, I’d have been pretty disappointed.

Made it to Lake Taupo proper, found a campsite, and took a drive to get some food. Stopped at a deserted Irish Pub, I had a Murphy’s stout, which I think is available at home, and Denise tried a Tui, a malty red hued ale. Both good choices.

Walked along the lakeshore, they were having a “hole in one” contest with a small green set up on a raft, people were trying to drive from the lakeshore. Beautiful scenery, lots of parking everywhere.




Went into a wine shop on a whim, it had the largest underground cellar in New Zealand. Here’s one of the 2-3 rooms…



Huge selection from around the world (some Oregon wines, no Washington ones). The proprietor was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, he was a paramedic until his back got destroyed and now he tastes wine for a living. Spent a good hour there, tasting, getting recommendations , sharing stories, laughing. Walked out with several bottles, including one “on the house” as it was his last bottle of that particular wine. Actually decided to take his advice and travel to Hawke’s Bay in the morning to sample some wineries, he even recommended a specific tour. Perfect end to a great day.



Goodnight.