21st January 2008

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21st January 2008
It was forecast to be a wet day today with 60% chance of rain and it had already rained heavily in the night. Bob and I went for a stroll last night after yet another excellent Italian meal (ate far too much as the ice cream was so tempting) and listened to the delightful tui birds calling goodnight to each other in the tall trees round the golf course. The tui is a native of NZ ,a dark almost iradecent colour with a white patch on the chin.
Today we drove out of Rotura and went to see another geothermal area called Orakei Korako which has both geysers, hot mud pools and caves. To get there we had to get a ferry across Lake Ohakuri. The first thing you see from across the lake is a large siica terrace flowing down the opposite shore and into the lake. The silica terrace actually continues to flow 35 metres under the lake surface. When we got there is was also spitting with rain, so we took our waterproof jackets with us but after half an hour it cleared up and we reverted to tee shirts again. With all the geothermal activity around it was pleasantly warm if a bit humid.
There was a geyser that randomly erupted and several terraces of silica with hot water flowing over them. They changed colour as the differnet minerals in the water passed over the different soil and rock types.
We also visited Ruatapu Cave ( which means Sacred Cave) one of only two geothermallly situated caves known in the world. At the botton of the cave there was a pool called Waiwhakaata (pool of mirrors). It was a steep climb down into the cave to see the pool but they had constructed a boardway of steps to save soil erosion.
After leaving Orakei Koroka we went to visit Huka Falls. This is where the Waikato river flows through a very narrow gorge. The sheer volume of water passing through this gorge is incredible and the roar was deafening. This river is used to create a significant amount of New Zealand's Hydro electricity.
The cloud level was low and covering the tops of the higher mountains so we went to see Lake Taupo (a very large fresh water lake) and stopped for anotther coffee.
By mid afternoon we made our way back to Rotorua and on the way it started to rain heavily so we where glad we had done most of our sightseeing ealier in the day. The rain of course did not stop Dinah and Annette going into Rotorua for some retail therapy.

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Comments

[Lucy]

Amazing places
It all looks like a different world with all the strange silica landscapes and geysers blowing steam everywhere. Glad to see you are having such a good time. All going well at home, nothing underwater as yet and everyone well.

[Gemma]

Wow!
Looks like you are fitting in heaps in a short amount of time, glad you are getting used to the hot weather as we are having bush fires and heat here. Enjoy your time and let us know the date and time you are arriving in Tassie and we will come and get you from the airport

[Miss Jayes's class 1J]

We like looking at your pictures
Why did you do a picture upside down? asked Luke. Connor hopes you have a good holiday. I like looking at your pictures said Skigh. Why did you post a picture of a toilet? asked Tom D Jacob says I think you had a nice cup of coffee.

[Sue Elias]

Blog addiction
Hello both, I'm totally addicted to your blog, and cannot do anything when I get in from work each evening until I have checked it. It's brilliant. You look so different in the photos, Bob, from the pose I am used to seeing you in - behind a tatty desk at Park House with a baguette and a packet of crisps.....