Taupo
Day 166 – Taupo, New Zealand I left Rotorua this morning to reach Taupo today. It is not very far, and the town is on a lake, itself a caldera, I believe. The region is riddled with volcanic activity. It started raininf as I went out in the afternoon of course, and occasional violent showers…
Geyser, sulphur and mud pools
Day 165 – Rotorua, New Zealand Rotorua sits on a diagonal line crossing the North Island drawn by the meeting of two tectonic plates, giving the region particular geothermic activity. One such place is Wai-O-Tapu (Sacred Waters), where geysers, hot (boiling hot) springs, mud pools, bubbling pools can be seen. Wai-O-Tapu – The artist’s palette…
Down the Hobbit hole
Day 164 – Rotorua, New Zealand Hobbits! Actually, there wasn’t any, but I’ve seen plenty of houses, clothes, and accessories. Let’s track back a bit. Today was the day I visited Hobbiton, the place that was the set for the Hobbits’ village in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. To be accurate,…
Waitomo caves
Day 163 – Rotorua, New Zealand Today was long in travel but short in visit. I took a bus from Auckland to Rotorua with a stop in Waitomo Caves, which are the home of glowworms. These glowworms spend their life in the caves, above the underground river, where they feed on insects that come in,…
Another dash through Auckland
Day 162 – Auckland, New Zealand I arrived yesterday in Auckland, and spent today in the War Memorial Museum, which has a large Maori culture exhibit as well as a cultural performance I went to watch. I went for a combined ticket that included a highlight tour (a guided tour giving you a highlight of…
Haruru Falls
Day 160 – Paihia, New Zealand Today I stayed near the town where I lodge, Paihia. There is a 5-km walk to Haruru Falls that is reputed to be pleasant, and it is! Of course, what they don’t tell you is that you have to walk almost as long just to get to the start…
Day trip to Cap Reinga
Day 159 – Paihia, New Zealand (It’s the 5th of November, so there are fireworks getting off everywhere tonight!) I was a bit anxious this morning about the weather, since yesterday’s rain had cancelled, I was afraid it would reschedule today. But no, we had a beautiful day. The bus was a bit late picking…
Russell
Day 158 – Paihia, New Zealand Today was the day it was supposed to rain and be generally a gloomy day. As you can see on the picture above, that wasn’t exactly what happened. As I was taking two tours through the same company (the hole in the rock and to Cap Reinga), company which…
Dolphins!
Day 157 – Paihia, New Zealand I have had quite a few adventures in the last few days! Yesterday, while staying with friends of the family, I went for a walk with one of the friends and the three dogs. The weather was absolutely beautiful, clear skies, green fields, muddy lanes, barbed wire, it was…
A dash through Auckland
A quick word to say that I’m on the road again. I’m sleeping in Auckland tonight and will leave early in the morning for Paihia. The internet at the hostel is not only not free, but expensive, which I find outrageous (and doesn’t reflect the practices of most hostels). Fortunately I have my phone and…