Long tiring journey as the road from Hastings was blocked by an accident. Many people gave up and turned around but as we had paid for our room we had to wait it out as there was no other way around. We had difficulty booking accommodation here, camp sites were all full so we booked in at Chantillys Motel in Taupo. It was a lucky accident as we liked it very much, taking advantage of their hotpool and swimming pool after the journey. Taupo is the largest lake in New Zealand and is certainly very impressive. It was formed by the eruption of Mount Taupo in AD 186 when the underground magma chamber emptied and the roof collapsed. It was a huge event, bigger than Krakatoa and St Helens combined, covering N Island in pumice. The event was even observed and recorded by the Romans!
You can see snow capped mountains (volcanoes) in the distance and parkland surrounds the lake. There are also many geo thermal pools but mostly on private land and enclosed. We went to the Spa Thermal Park and Hot Stream walking up from Taupo, a long hot walk and we found when we arrived that we could have driven most of the way! That would have enabled us to walk Huka Falls. The Hot Stream is amazing, it is really hot (not just tepid like the Azores ones) steam billows up where it meets the cold river Waikato, you choose your spot lie back and relax. Huka Falls on Waikato did not disappoint although not very high (in fact more like rapids) it thundered through a narrow chasm. I had hoped to see one of the adrenaline boat rides go through but they only sweep through the surf at the end.
We decided to stay an extra day in Taupo and visit the Whakarewarewa Park from there. I wanted to see the Geyser which erupts once or twice an hour. I thought that Rotorua was rather some of the modern Canary or Tunisian resorts so glad we had not opted to stay.
The geyser performed well and was very impressive as were the bubbling glooey mud pools, but the nocturnal Kiwi House only contained one Kiwi and he was asleep. I'm not sure that it is worth the $50 but it is the only way to see the geyser.