Welcome to our travel blog. We are Tabitha and Nic. In 2011 we 'retired' in our early 40s and set off to travel the world. We spent our first year in South America and have been lucky enough to make two trips to Antarctica.

Our blog is a record of our travels, thoughts and experiences. It is not a guide book, but we do include some tips and information, so we hope that you may find it useful if you are planning to visit somewhere we have been. Or you may just find it interesting as a bit of armchair travel.



Saturday, July 30, 2016

Rotorua - Wai O tapu and Orakei Korako

Lady Knox Geyser, Wai O Tapu
Our next visit was one of our favourites. We had to get to Wai O Tapu early enough to see one of its main attractions, the daily eruption of the Lady Knox Geyser.

Apparently, the geyser first erupted when members of a prison party were washing their clothes in the pool and someone dropped in the soap, triggering the reaction. They set the geyser off here every morning in basically the same way.

Lady Knox Geyser, Wai O Tapu


Wai O Tapu
If you do visit here, bear in mind that the geyser is a short drive away from the main gate, so leave enough time to get your tickets and then to drive back to it, before it is set off at about 10:15am.

Wai O Tapu
The rest of the park has plenty of good thermals to see, but our favourite was undoubtedly the Champagne Pool. Despite the name, this had nothing to do with alcohol, though that does come from the bubbles in the pool. It is quite stunning to see, although if you want to take a photo you have to seize your opportunity in those brief moments that the wind is blowing the clouds of mist away.

It is also well worth stopping off at the mud pools, where we couldn't help but think of the three witches in Macbeth - 'hubble bubble toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble'.

The post continues with the last place we visited beneath these photos....



Wai O Tapu
Wai O Tapu


Artist's Palette, Wai O Tapu
Artist's Palette, Wai O Tapu


Artist's Palette, Wai O Tapu
Artist's Palette, Wai O Tapu



Champagne Pool, Wai O Tapu
Champagne Pool, Wai O Tapu


Champagne Pool, Wai O Tapu

Wai O Tapu


Wai O Tapu
Wai O Tapu


Wai O Tapu
Wai O Tapu

Wai O Tapu
Wai O Tapu
Wai O Tapu
Wai O Tapu





Orakei, Korako
Our final geothermal visit was Orakei Korako down near to Lake Taupo. Thankfully, being off season here not only meant that we had the place almost to ourselves, it also meant that we had an empty car park, so could choose a spot well away from the vent of steam that was coming up through the surface.

We took the little ferry boat across the lake and set off around the park. There are quite a lot of steps here, so it's not really suited to wheelchairs or buggies, but otherwise it is worth the walk. The geothermals here may not be the biggest or best necessarily, but they are impressive, and the walk around is lovely.

Diamond Geyser, Orakei, Korako

Two Diamond Geysers!


    
Orakei, Korako
Orakei, Korako
Orakei, Korako



Orakei, Korako

Orakei, Korako
Orakei, Korako


Orakei, Korako

Orakei, Korako

Orakei, Korako
Orakei, Korako


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