Thermal Explorer Highway….

Just when you thought we had seen the best of the views, the journey along SH5 to Rotorua, through mountain ranges and forests was, again, amazing! Helped of course by a nice day! Sorry if it all looks the same!!

We stopped off in Taupo for brunch, pleased for once that we easily found a parking place along the side of the road.

Lake Taupo is the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It has a surface area of 238 sq miles and is the largest lake in Zealand.

With snow capped mountains in the background (just about visible) the lake provides great location for water sports.

A very pretty spot! Plenty of shops and places to eat!

We had a debate as to which “thermal wonderland” to visit, Wai-O-Tapu or Waimangu. We opted for the first as it was just off the highway and had been recommended by several friends back home. We can’t fit it all in!! We have realised that four weeks isn’t enough time to tour NZ!

Wai-O-Tapu was awesome!

The smell of the sulphur hits you as soon as you open the car door, it hangs in the air clogging your senses. The geothermal activity in the area is fantastic with rising steam and bubbling mud. The walks well defined and laid out. The day had warmed up a lot, though I couldn’t help but feel the heat from the thermal activity also added to the temperature.

**Anga Whanariki** – Sulphur crystals have formed beautiful formations on
the wall above the vents in this crater.
To the extreme right there are some of the few chlorine pools in the area that may have been used by the local people to cook in.

**Mahanga Rua** – examples of collapsed craters where the acidic steam coming from underground has caused ground to collapse.
The rough sides and yellow-green colours of the craters are where cooling volcanic vapours have coloured the walls.

**Champagne Pool** is the largest hot spring in New Zealand. It has a surface temperature of 74’C. The bubbles caused by carbon dioxide
provide the Champagne like effect in the water. Formed an estimated 700 years ago by a hydrothermal eruption, some of the minerals contained in the water include gold,
silver, mercury, sulphur, arsenic, thallium and antimony. I’ll take their word for that.

**Artist’s Palette** – Overflowing water from the Champagne Pool brings with it minerals that have originated deep below the surface. As the waters cool, it evaporates, exposing minerals that provide the showcase of colours. Apparently this area never looks the same two days in a row, changing depending on sunlight, water level and wind direction.

**Roto Karikitea** – This crater is also filled with excess water from the Champagne Pool. The amazing colour is the result from a deposit of
minerals being suspended in the water and refraction the sunlight. This pool will vary in colours, being brighter on sunny days and duller on cloudy days. The PH of this pool is 2, making it extremely acidic.

Destination Rotorua! Another one of those ‘must see’ destinations in New Zealand. It was 33′ on the dash board! Hot! Thursday evening they have an evening street market with every conceivable food type – I got the impression the whole town turned out for dinner!

Rotorua has a long and interesting history with many famous Māori legends and stories, so no better place to book a Māori experience…. Surprise, surprise when the bus arrives we were top of the queue! So that gave us front row seats and an opportunity to engage with the driver who just happened to be quarter Irish and a rugby supporter! He also had a great sense of humour! So….. the bus needs a ‘chief’, someone to meet the chief at the village and look after us – step forward ‘Chief Paul’!

Apparently it was hard to take this guy seriously when you could see his Calvin Klein’s! I wouldn’t know about that either!

Have to say, while there is probably a lot of touristy stuff at a place like this, when you listen to the explanations and stories, the Māori traditions are wonderful.

They consider their buildings as human bodies, embracing visitors – the ridge is the backbone and the rafters, ribs. The entrance is like the arms, reaching down to protect the inhabitants.

So…. when you have paid to visit thermal activity and discover a free show on your doorstep! Kuirau Park, in the heart of Rotorua is New Zealand’s only geothermal public park and it was right beside our campsite! Absolutely beautiful park with many thermal pools and mud baths as well as free thermal foot baths.

Rotorua Lake is the second largest lake in the North Island. Its’ surface covers 79.8 sqkm but has a mean depth of only 10 metres. The lake was formed from the crater of a large volcano. A nice place to walk, it is also a popular water sports area. Be aware of the flies though!!

The sulphur changes the colour of the water

Next to the waterfront is Government Gardens. This site is of historical importance to local Maori people. In the late 1800s, they gifted 50 acres of scrub land to the crown “for the benefit of the people of the world”. The scrub was cleared and formal gardens planted. In 1908 the New Zealand government opened a large and elaborate bath house, built in the Elizabethan Tudor style of architecture.

As well as a bandstand there are croquet lawns, bowling greens and tennis courts in the gardens

The Croquet pavilion – Built in 1907, a terracotta roof was added during the 1950s, and replaced in 1998 with the
present pagoda-style construction

The wooden arches that grace the entrance to the Government
Gardens once spanned the intersection of Fenton and Hinemoa
Streets. Designed to represent the royal crown, they were erected
in 1901 to honour the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall
and York (later King George V and Queen Mary). The arches were
adorned with greenery and electric lights to celebrate the arrival
of the royal pair. After the visit, portions of the gates were
moved to their present position.

The Arawa war memorial, to the left of the gates, commemorates Te Arawa men who fought and died in the First World War. The Duke of York (later King George VI) unveiled the memorial on 28 February 1927.

Eat Street – where you can eat!! Lots of different types of food and some cool street architecture

This blog post would not be complete without reference to our lunch stop in Rotorua – The Terrace. It was to be a beer and cocktail stop in the sizzling heat but the food looked so great we decided to stay – so glad we did! The food was amazing, trevally fish and rib eye steak! Awesome!!! Just like home (W&B home), and we got to meet the chef!