We left Auckland on the 23rd March to start our tour, and after a quick brew with my friend in Thames we headed for Rotorua. Now any of you who have read the thread detailing my travels the last time I was here will know that I have been to Rotorua before. This is just the most amazing place and I had to come again. Despite the permanent smell of Hydrogen Sulphide gas this place is fascinating. The whole area is situated in the central region of North Island and is a highly active geothermal area. Hot water geysers, bubbling pools of water and mud, steaming fumeroles and the colours of various minerals which stain the earth and water. I love it here. We visited the Maori village of Whakarewarewa, I wanted a decent photo of the Pohutu (big splash) geyser as my last photo was taken in the rain and is a bit steamy. We had one night here and the day we were leaving we paid a visit to Wai-O-Tapu (sacred waters) Thermal Wonderland. This place is brilliant the sights smells and colours of the pools and fumeroles attack your senses, and the smell lingers on your clothes for days.
Wai-O-Tapu is the home of the Lady Knox geyser, named in 1904 after Governor-General Ranfurly's daughter it erupts at 10.15am every day and can reach a height of about 20 metres. There is the bubbling Champagne Pool, the Devil's Bath (a hot pool stained green by the minerals), various fumeroles, the Oyster Pool whose shape resembles the oyster shell and the Primrose Terraces. Those of you who have read the last NZ thread will know the story of the Pink and White Terraces. The Primrose Terrace has been formed by water running from the Champagne Pool. This water is rich in silica and as it cools the silica deposits and forms into sinter. These terraces have been forming for about 900 years and cover 1.2 hectares. The Primrose Terrace is the largest since the destruction of the Pink and White Terraces with the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886.
Here are some pics of the area. The Pohutu geyser in full flow, the dormant Lady Knox and the erupting Lady Knox, The Champagne Pool, The Devil's Bath, The Oyster Pool, the fumerole Devil's Home and the Primrose Terraces.
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Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether.
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