The Rotorua Gondola takes you up to the top of Mount Ngongotahã, offering you panoramic views of the lake and surrounding area.The island is called Mokoia Island and is a sacred site for the Te Drama tribe (Mauri) and an animal sanctuary. You can only visit it as part of a guided tour. The lake is part of an ancient volcanic cauldron thus there is a lot of geothermal activity in the area as well.This park also has this wheeled Luge track and a Zip Line but we all agreed to leave that for the foolish younger crowd!Fantastic views from up there though!Lunchtime visitors.I made a new friend but he wasn’t very chatty!Heading back down.An Irish Pub, we didn’t go in though.It’s their Fall in March so leaves are changing.The Australasian Swamphen, known as the Pūkeko in New Zealand.
Rotorua, New Zealand- Day 3
On day 3, we decided to take a guided tour of the town and surrounding area. As you can see from some of these pictures there are steam vents all over the area, They use geothermal energy for home heat and to produce electricity.Entering the world’s youngest geothermal area.One of the many, many caravans we’ve seen over here!It was amazing to me that these ducks could tolerate the hot water and rather toxic water!Steam vents everywhere.An explanation of the Waiotapu geothermal make up.A group picture cleverly arranged according to height!Bubbling mud pots all over Very much like Yellowstone but much younger!This is Lady Knox Geiser. It’s unique in that they can make it erupt for their daily show by pouring a cup of laundry detergent into it!It was kind of a grey day so the colors are more muted than normal.The Sulpher smell wasn’t as bad as we anticipated, although it did give Joni a headache.Unless of course you didn’t like them that much anyway!The birds and ducks here are obviously used to this toxic smelling water.Moving on to the “normal” water views.What you lookin’ at?!One of their thermal electric plants.And here is something you don’t see every day, McDonalds Taupo Restaurant with an airplane!For you avid golfers, a hole in one challenge. You tee off from the shoreline.One of the smarter ducks not in the toxic water from before!An interesting art exhibit.Joni and Lane talking with our wonderful local guide. Sorry, we’re all old and can’t remember her name!This is a map of the Wairakei Tourist Park area we’re in.A very fast and long rapids/falls!They have this tour boat that takes you right up to the falls. Kind of a mini version of the Maid of the Mist boats at Niagara Falls.This was a pool on private land that the owner allows all the locals to use.On our way “home” for the night, then off Auckland in the morning.
We've been full time RVers since 2015 and have been fortunate enough to have seen all 50 states (we flew to Hawaii and alaska) and stayed in each at least one week! It's been an awesome adventure but we've decided to park our fifth wheel in Yuma Arizona, mostly because its warm year round!
By staying put in one place we can now do other travel both in the USA and abroad.
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