Ramblings about life and travel

Mount Ruapehu

Mount Ruapehu is NZ's largest ski and snow boarding area. But, I visited it in summer and it was still interesting.

We took the open ski lifts up to the top of the mountain. Seeing the brown rocky mountain, it was difficult to imagine it covered in snow and snow deep enough for skiing and other winter activities. There was still a bit of snow left and the melt resulted in various little waterfalls which made the entire scene very picturesque.

The cafe restaurant at the top was designed like a log cabin. The views from there were spectacular. You could do a trek to the peak but we decided to have lunch and return back to base.

The first set of chair lifts which were 2 seaters.

The next set of chair lifts which were 4 seaters.

The restaurant at the top.

Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo is the largest freshwater lake in the Southern Hemisphere. It is as large as the island of Singapore. It is surrounded by stunning volcanoes, bush clad mountains and spectacular landscape. The water is stunningly blue, the air fresh and unpolluted, the town bustling with cafes and shopping, and plenty of activities for the visitor make it a great weekend getaway.

We had booked ourselves in the Suncourt Hotel which overlooked the lake. With a view like ours, we had no choice but to have dinner on the patio. Breakfast was also on the patio. We could not get over the beauty of the lake.

We took a cruise on this cat!

The Maori Rock carving can only be reached by boat.

Maori Rock carving:
In the late 1970s master carver Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell came to his mother's land at Lake Taupō. On a boat trip around the Western Bays he saw the cliffs at Mine Bay and decided to use them as a canvas for his work. Matahi decided to carve a likeness of Ngatoroirangi, a visionary Maori navigator who guided the Tuwharetoa and Te Arawa tribes to the Taupō area over a thousand years ago. In recognition of the multi-cultural nature of New Zealand, Matahi also carved two smaller figures of Celtic design, which depict the south wind and a mermaid. The Ngatoroirangi carving took four summers to complete and the carvers took no payment other than donations to cover the cost of the scaffolding. The carving has become an important cultural attraction for the region and is a wonderful gift to the local people and visitors alike.

This reminded me of the fjords in Norway.

Came across this aircraft which is actually part of the McDonald's restaurant!!

Wai-o-tapu - a geothermal wonderland

Wai-o-tapu which also means sacred waters is a truly unique place. It is a geothermal wonderland which has been in the making for thousands of years.

The Lady Knox Geyser:It is named after Lady Constance Knox, the daughter of the 15th Governor of NZ. The geyser is induced to erupt daily at 10:15am by dropping a surfactant into the opening of the vent. Eruptions produce a jet of water reaching up to 20m and can last for over an hour, depending on the weather. The visible spout is made of rocks placed around the base of the spring to enhance the eruption; over the years silica from the eruptions has built up to give a white cone-shaped appearance. It was first discovered by a gang of prisoners who added soap to the hot water to wash their clothes.

Waiting for Lady Knox to erupt!

The mud pools:A mudpot, mud pool or paint pot is a sort of hot spring or fumarole consisting of a pool of usually bubbling mud. The mud is generally of white to greyish color, but is sometimes stained with reddish or pink spots from iron compounds. When the slurry is particularly colorful, the feature is then called a paint pot.

Mudpots form in high-temperature geothermal areas where water is in short supply. The little water that is available rises to the surface at a spot where the soil is rich in volcanic ash, clay and other fine particulates. The thickness of the mud usually changes along with seasonal changes in the water table.

The mud takes the form of a viscous, often bubbling, slurry. As the boiling mud is often squirted over the brims of the mudpot, a sort of mini-volcano of mud starts to build up, sometimes reaching heights of 3–5 feet. Although mudpots are often called mud volcanoes, true mud volcanoes are very different in nature.

Boiling mud

The thermal area:This is one of the most interesting areas of the park. It has various unique features like the Champagne Pool, the Artist's Palette, the Primrose Terrace, etc.