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If there is a more attractive car ferry route, I don’t know it. As the ship winds its way through the Queen Charlotte and Tory sounds finally crossing the Cook Straits into the harbour at Wellington. Arriving late in the day we overnighted at a campsite outside the city.
Keen to move north we just spent the morning in Wellington to see the Te Papa museum. It is dedicated to New Zealand culture and heritage. It told stories of the early settlers both Maori, European and other migrants. A machine allowed you to see whether you would be able to stay in the country regarding your age, education, vocation, etc the machine rejected both of us, looks like we’re staying in Britain!
Two other notable exhibits were the Gallipoli exhibit which was well put together including the use of 4 times life size ultra-realistic models of soldiers and a nurse that served in that campaign, to tell the story. Also on the display is a rarely seen giant Squid, caught semi alive by fisherman when they pulled up their catch as it forgot to let go when it was having a meal on the self-same
bait.
Shortly after leaving Wellington we heard reports of flash floods that had caused chaos in the city. 60 percent of the New Zealand’s live on the smaller north island, and we immediately found it a much busier with more towns, I was grateful as in the south islands petrol stations were a bit too far apart for my liking. We made an overnight stop outside Wanganui by the river. We just drove through but what we saw was a really nice town.
Its noticeably warm in the north island compare with south, especially at night. Although we have been really lucky with the sunshine up till now, so we are not complaining. The weather that hit Wellington seems to have caught us up. We visited a Trout fish hatchery that was initially used to restock the lakes and the rivers should there be any problem with stocks. Nowadays it is more a educational and visitor attraction.
On the way on the road to the hatchery we passed several serious road and land slips, and wondered if and how they were going to repair them, I couldn’t see bridges being built
Realistic 4 x's lifesize models
Gallipoli Exhibition Te Papa Museum
Wellington nor could I see them digging into the mountain further.
We arrived at Taupo on the eastern edge of the very large Lake Taupo in the centre of the north island. Night was falling on our arrival at the campsite, Alison exclaimed excitedly they have a pool, not just any pool, a thermal energy heated pool that had just been built with a big screen so you could watch a film while you have a drink at the sunken bar in the pool!
This area whole area is awash with thermal activity, indeed the volcano at Mt Ruapehu at the south of Lake Taupo is currently causing concern. There is also a power station making use of the thermal energy. To see some of this activity for ourselves we visited Orakei Korako. A small ferry ride across a lake took us to an area where there are geysers named sapphire and diamond, hot bubbling mud pools, and technicolour patterns caused by the different minerals coming from the ground. We were warned not to touch the water as it is boiling. We took the walk around the area, neither geyser spouted as we were there
but many were bubbling and steaming, and it stank of sulphur.
Rotorua was our next stop, a couple of hours drive east of Lake Taupo. Whilst here we thought we should experience a bit of Mauri culture, dinner and music, in a nearby hotel. We were thoroughly entertained, Alison, with other guests was invited to do the Poi dance using poms-poms on a string, and I joined in the famous Haka, that kicks off many a New Zealand rugby tournament.
We head north for glo-worm encounters and not one, but two scary boat rides.
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christine
non-member comment
north
Loved the plcs when we stayed in rotarie our motel was right by the mud pools we couldn't open a window!!!xxx