The Volcanic Highway

We spent two lovely nights at a Rotorua home stay equipped with a large hot tub. Operators Peter and Mike treated us to a wonderful breakfast and provided needed advice and discount coupons for our adventures. We wish them much success in their small business.

The first day, we struck out to Wai-O-Tapu, about 20 minutes South of this geologically active town.
Think Yellowstone Park and you get the idea. Our first stop was the Lady Knox Geyser, which is set to go off at 10:15 AM every day. How, you may ask do they get a geyser to go off at 10:15? They cheat. When convicts developed the park way back in the old days, they used a hot puddle to wash their stinky clothes. The soap broke the water's surface tension in a nearby fissure sending lots of water down the hole which soon came back as a jet of hot water, blasting their clothes some 20 to 30 meters into the air! The convicts, being short on entertainment, soon learned how to maximize the effect of the soap and a tourist attraction was born!

Today, a park ranger prompts the eruption with a more modern, "ecologically friendly", surfactant, (probably something like Tide), which today, failed on it's first attempt. He had use a second bag.

While waiting, I was very pleased to note that a particular style of lady's garment which we were delighted to see all over the Baltic Countries last year, is apparently going global. As a guy, I'm not sure what they call these skin tight, err... modesty protectors. Maybe yoga pants, tights, hose, paint? I just don't know. I do know, that on the right lady, they look great, and I hope they become as popular in my Naples Florida area as they are in these better dressed parts of the world. I can't say that she had anything to do with the timing of the eruption, but when she came in wearing those pants...

 







Boiling mud squirts three feet when bubbles pop!

Later we walked several miles through this thermal wonderland to see, (and smell), fuming mud pools, lakes of brilliantly colored hot water, and craters fit to house the devil himself. If you ever find yourself on the North Island of New Zealand, we highly recommend this park as a highly entertaining and educational way to get some exercise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way out of the park, we found a roadside "swimming hole" where a cool stream intersects a nearly boiling outflow of one of the hot pools. People maneuver to just the right spot to soak in this "natural hot tub". I talked to a local who has been soaking here for years. Ahhh, the gifts of mother nature...