North Island 2

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And so into the centre of the island and to Rotorua. We have soaked in thermal baths before so our interest was in seeing a geyser. We went to Wai-O-tapu Thermal Wonderland, 9 pounds each (no reduction for seniors). The highlight is the Lady Knox Geyser that is induced to blow 10 metres high each at 10.15 am by dropping 300g of soap into the blow hole (see photo). Having paid to see the rest of the park we did the 1 1/2 hour walk around the whole place and it was well worth it. Many lakes have been formed of different splendid colours depending on the chemicals in the underground rocks.

With no further reason to stay in Rotorua and good to get away from the sulphur smell, we left for Lake Taupo.

Just before Taupo we stopped at Huka Falls. Not really a falls, more a rapids but wonderful (we are running out of superlatives in New Zealand). The info tells us that 160 cubic metres of water gushes through the 15 metre wide chasm every second and it sounds like it. The water is a torrid turquoise and white and the noise is deafening.

Lake Taupo, which flows into the Huka Falls, is a lovely blue and the largest lake in New Zealand. Taupo town is very pretty, but no reasonf or us to stop so we set off next day for Tongariro National Park where we intend to do some tramping (hiking).

We decided to walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It seems the thing to do here and is described as the best one day tramp in NZ. To help Terry's knees he doped up on glucosamine, Omega 3 and a host of paracetamol tablets. The first one hour was a gentle slope but then it was uphill to extreme. However, we reached the top after 2 1/2 hours. We actually climbed to 1700 metres, which was a 600 metres climb, this exceeded Terry's personal best by 500 metres! Then to come down, which is always harder on the knees. The last 30 mins meant Michelle carrying the ruck sack and coats, Terry just crawled! 5 1/2 hours, never again.

Saturday 22nd, found us in Napier, after yskinh the wrong route and doing 27k on unmade roads (it seems quite common here). Napier again is a very pretty seaside town and being in Hawke's Bay seems to have it's own warm micro climate. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt totally in the art deco style, so it is architecturally very interesting. However, it has one of the worst beaches we have ever seen, just black pebbles that were too big to walk on without shoes and small enough to annoyingly get in your shoes when you wear them.

Monday we drove direct to Waitomo to see our last objective in NZ - the glowworm caves. Although it was only a short tour (30 mins) the magical boat ride through the caves lit only by thousands of glowworms was a great high on which to leave this fantastic country.

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Photos

Terry at Lady Knox Geyser
Terry and the geezer

Wai-O-Tapu
The Green Pool

Wai-O-Tapu
The Boiling Mud

Taupo
Huka Falls

Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Setting off full of hope

Tongariro Alpine Crossing
You would think they would tarmac the path.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing
We did it!