We stopped at the river rapids at Aratiatia, where twice a day the dam lets loose water on the longest river in N.Z., Waikato River - lots of churning, bubbling blue water. We continued south along the river to Wairakei Geothermal Power Station, which as luck would have it, was closed down for its once-every-three-years-maintenance check! Still, it was quite huge and impressive looking. We continued along the river to Huka Falls, which were pleasant, but not as exciting as might be expected - a true tourist stop.
Our next destination was just outside of Taupo - CRATERS OF THE MOON! We have been travelling along a huge thermal belt in the North Island, and this spot was free, plus had the most awesome boiling mud pools! Shrouded in heavy steam, just listening to it was outrageous, plus we could see down into it at times too - AMAZING! There was also a large crater that steam swirled in & out of that seemed bottomless, and much steaming ground and other craters. Quite a neat place!
Then we cruised on into Taupo - the lake is the largest in New Zealand. Since it was raining our view of the distant mountains was obscured, but a fierce wind blew the storm away during the night (and has kept up all today), affording a beautiful view across the lake, at the mountains, and all the surrounding area.
At a little store where we stopped for ice we requested recommendations of a motor park, and the man there gave us quite a bit of information. We tried one not too promising looking place which turned out to be way overpriced (after sizing us up the woman told us it'd be $15.00 for a campsite!) - then we came HERE - DeBretts. The couple in charge of this big place are very friendly - the woman gave us a tour of the grounds - they have a big thermal pool area (public & private - no time limit, and only $1.00/ea!) a very nice kitchen area, showers, REAL laundry facilities, and we got a real pretty site.
Last night while fixing up dinner Jim struck up a conversation with a German man in the kitchen who it turned out was guiding a tour for fellow - Germans, of N.Z. He'd also been to Seattle, seen the Space Needle & Aquarium! He's been doing tours for about 16 yrs (I think he said), runs his own business, has done, of course, extensive travelling!
We wiped ourselves out in the private hot tubs after dinner, starting in one marked "hottest", then quickly succeeding to "Hot", "Not So Hot", and finally collapsing in "Warm", which was plenty hot!
The wind last night would've tipped the tent over and sent it flying without us in it! It was a bit of a surprise because when we returned from the got tubs after 9:00 it was completely calm, stars studding the sky.
We got lucky this a.m., after a light b'fast & conversation with Keith, a retired man full of info about travelling who's a native Kiwi - we drove down by the lake & saw windsurfers, then to the windsurf store - but it was closed. However, just as we were leaving, the owner (?) drove up, and Jim got out to talk with him to see if he could possibly rent a board today ("PLEASE!?!") and tho the guy said no, he asked where J. locally windsurfs, and when J. said "the Gorge," the fellow loaned him a wetsuit and told him to hang out at the beach & see if he could borrow a rig - eventually J. got to take out this guy's board (his name is Mark) - it was great to finally see him take off over the waves!
After that we took off back to Aratiatia Rapids, and go there in the nick of time to see them release the water - so we got to see it at the low level, then see it rush up - pretty neat. Then we drove to the Geothermal Info Center and watched a little movie about it all, then came back to town.
We've gotten around some today (drove over to Acacia Bay right after J. windsurfed and drank a couple of beers before driving to the Rapids ) - but in a way it's been a lazy day too. J's taking a nap as the sun slowly sinks in the sky. Saw a huge, bright, perfect RAINBOW last evening! Impressive!
