What I did on my long weekend in Taupo & Rotorua

I'm afraid I'm going to have to serialise last weekend, because it was AWESOME!!!

Last weekend I looked into the deep hot brimstone of the earth, was sufficated by it, soaked in it, inspired by it. I saw that which it has made, is making and was told what it will make. Alongside it was the great mountains and waterways it had made, wonders in themselves. All surrounded by the glorious flora and fauna of New Zealand.

This is a basic over view of the weekend. I will try go over what I saw (with pictures) in later posts. I had managed to get a 4 day weekend, due to a Friday state holiday and Monday as Day In Lieu for working a weekend, so decide to explore north to see NZ's land of fire & lakes.

Friday was Waitangi Day, the holiday to celebrate that on the 6th of February 1840 the Maori became part of the British Empire. There are many debates about the events that happened afterwards and the different translations of the treaty, because afterwards people were still being dicks to one another, it just happened to be "legal"now. This year was the first year when there were not significant complaints by major Maori figures, and the young people are seeing it as the holiday to celebrate the Maori people.

So, having woken up late, prepared late, left late, I eventually traveled north to go to Taupo, the north islands giant central lake. On the 21st I will be part of my practice's team doing a relay around the lake, so will tell you more about the area after that.

Near Taupo I visited Craters of the Moon:
http://youtu.be/8KBl6MK9VpM

And the Huka Falls, which is a large waterfall draining Lake Taupo

I stayed over night in my wee cheap tent at NZ's largest free camping spot. Its known to be noisy, but I thought I'd pitch out the way, until a large group of backpakers and Maoris arrived to talk until 1am. At first it annoyed my, as I was tired, but after having a decent nap for an hour that evening it was entertaining to listen to a big fat Maori guy trying desperately to chat up any backpacker who'd listen to him. 

SATURDAY

I climbed the Rainbow Mountain, at the top of which I met a guy who works at the top with a telescope watching out for wild fires in the local forests. Nice guy, invites people to come up to his watch tower and see the views, whilst offering a cool glass of water. He look pictures of everyone who came and puts them up on a Facebook page (that I presently can't find, but will post if/when I do). 

On the way down I visited the Emerald Pool, where I talked to a couple visiting from Sheffield, and we took pictures for each other.

I visited a place called "Mud Pool"... which is a mud pool, but geothermal!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv9hmZomUec&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=399FYkMk3YY&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXuzTYt2Bwk&feature=youtu.be


I hadn't particularly planned on it, with the heat etc., but people suggested I go down to Kerosene Creek- a local hot pool out in the forests. The river is all warm, with a wide pool created by a slowly moving (due to erosion) waterfall which is a nice Goldilocks temperature. It is surrounded by beautiful forest, and there are a number of small spots along the river for smaller groups. The only down side is the smell- there is significant Sulfur in the water causing a smell that did remind me of the oil and fuel at vintage tractor shows- hence the name of the creek. The place is lovely, but it took me 3 days, 3 showers, 4 lakes, and 2 hours in non-smelly hot pools before I could get the whiff out of my skin.
Oh, and the other down side is the warning sign about the amoebic meningitis. Don't put your head in the water. It will kill you.

After this I went in search of a proper pool to try clean out the smell. I visited Waikite Valley Thermal Pools- a highly recommended site that I'll tell you much more about later. I wish it was closer to home. Utterly amazing place to go to.

http://www.hotpools.co.nz/

Saturday and Sunday evening I stayed with a vet couple from the UK. It was Amy, one of the vets working at the Edinburgh Dick Vet Farm Department that put me in touch with them. Jules and here husband Gus had spent a year in NZ working as vets, before returning home, working for a while longer, then relocating to northern NZ. Jules is a small animal vet and Gus is a farm vet, so we had plenty to talk about and I had a lot to learn from them. Amazingly wonderful people, great to talk to and lovely hosts.

SUNDAY

Sunday was lakes day, with a minor interlude to watch some people try to raft down the local rapids. (If you come to NZ we MUST do this- looks great fun)

I started with a quick stop at the side of Lake Rotorua

I then spent an hour on a walk that should take 15 minutes- but there was too much to see in just 15 mins! The Okere Falls were the site of NZ's first hydroelectric dam. Since then the dam has been destroyed, then excavated and removed to become an exhibit, and the falls returned to a more natural state. Leaving a place perfect for tourists to try out white water rafting (if they can stay on the raft) surrounded by beautiful high cliff over hung by the tropical forest.

After this I went to Lake Rotoiti, Lake Okataina, and Lake Tarawera, having a quick swim in each of them, and the odd walk/jog in the forests. Given the amount of people about its surprisingly simple to find your own personal, private, beach.

Rotoiti

My private beach at Lake Okataina (beyond the brush was a large area of sand)

The boat landing site at Lake Tarawera

After all this swimming I went to see the local tourist info site and managed to get permission to drive down and see the Tarawera falls. I'll let me explain in the video:

http://youtu.be/K9GQq1Ar-3s

That evening I also spotted this "little"chap - some sort of very flat but large cockroach-thing

MONDAY

Due to having worked a previous weekend I was able to get Monday off, so I could steadily drive home. Or madly rush to see more stuff.

I visited the other end of Lake Tarawera

 Found a Maori monument to a dead chief- such great men are remembered by burying their canoe end in the earth to create a tall obelisk, which then has extra decoration added to it.

 I went past what looks to be an interesting museum. Akin to Pompeii but looking like Beamish, the Buried Village was a settlement built near tourist attractions about 100 years ago. These attractions were based on the geothermal activity, which eventually exploded and buried the village. This has left a site where everything was preserved by mud, to later be uncovered and now on display so that one can learn about the earliest travelers to NZ. I didn't have enough time to see inside, but hopefully if anyone with a Beamish bent wants to visit we can go see this- and the old Gold Mine site further North-West that I didn't have time to go visit.

A cool monument I found celebrating the Maori people's work to share their glorious land with tourists.

The Blue and the Green Lakes

 Finally I had a quick stop in the Redwood forest- which became an hour. The redwood trees originally came from North America to make a new timber trade for NZ. This are, however, was kept as a tourist attraction and is filled with routes for people walking, riding, and mountain biking.

As well as the redwoods, a number of the local fern trees have found a home here.

Tree. Big.

Found a cool little lagoon in the forest

These are the toilets. There were designed by an artist to disguise the facilities, using rusted steel with Maori art designs drilled in. Seems odd to say the toilets look nice, but they do.

Leaving Rotorua, near Taupo I visited the site of a large hydroelectic dam where 5 times a day part of the dam is opened to keep a stretch of the river "alive". The water level rises and little falls grow into torrents.

The place is great for a little walk, with lovely views of the valley.

I also found, around a corner, down an old abandoned roadway, some free food:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152789134606977&l=9185868384146794295

Eventually I got a shot of Lake Taupo (sort of, better ones after next weekend)

Then I went to the Army Museum on the way back - didn't have time for the full tour, will do more another time- but they do have lots of tanks and artillery in the car park. I'll post all those photos later.

And I was home in time to repack the ute with vet stuff, unload the exploring stuff, clean some clothes, have Yorkshire Tea, and get a rest before work.

So... that's the short version. I'll try, when I have time, to give more details on the best stuff I saw.

Phew, time for a brew