New Zealand 2008-09 Days 3 and 4

The rental car we picked up in Auckland only had 7k on the clock when we drove it out of the airport, it was brand new. Arriving at Hooker Falls, Amy jumped out of the car in the pouring rain, only to realise we had a puncture. The rear left tire hissed as we stood round and watched it deflate, we contemplated removing the glass, but decided that would only let it down quicker. I was all ready to swap it for the spare, but I didn't want to have to pay out for the damage, so we called the shop and they sent someone. I didn't buy the premium reduction insurance, I have a theory if that I go my whole life without paying it and something bad happens I'll break even. Touch wood nothing bad ever happens and I win :-)

The repair man said he'd never seen a puncture like it!


Now I have to apologise in advance, I went a little overboard on the panorama front. I worked out how to fix the exposure on my crappy little camera so I could take panoramas.

Hooker Falls were nice, if a little rainy

Then on to our first geothermal park, Craters of the Moon. It was eerie, it looked like a 2nd world war smoking battlefield.

We had lunch overlooking a geothermal power station and in the afternoon we stumbled upon this cool hydro electric dam! We were looking for a jet boat ride, but it didn't seem to be running. Twice a day, for a reason I have yet to come up with they open the dam gates and let a whole load of water down the stream they damed. Sirens go off before the gates open and gradually each pool along the stream fills up and flows into the next. It takes a while, but it was really satisfying to watch.

Before

After

Day 4 we left Taupo to drive to Rotorua and on the way we stopped at another geothermal park. Sadly the weather still wasn't so good an the colours in my pictures looked nothing like the ones in the gift shop.


It took us a good 2 hours to walk round the park, there were so many stinky steaming craters and pools!
Fortunately there was a good variety of stinking craters and pools!





The funniest thing we saw in the park was a couple of tourists clearly read the "Hot! Don't stick your hand in this boiling hot geothermal pool" only to then stick their hands in, shriek and proclaim how hot it was. Hilarious. I wish I had it on video.

Sadly I didn't get a mud bath on the trip, but we did find these mud pools. The mud made cool shapes and splat noises when it bubbled.


In the afternoon we went on the luges at Rotorua. Helmets on!


They were brilliant, screaming down the mountain in a little go cart. I was having far to much fun to take any pictures, so I'll steal one from the website:

To top off a big day we managed to squeeze in a 'cultural' evening with glow worms as well.