Mon 15 Aug day 52 Rotorua, more snow and Coromandel

We have to backtrack a bit today driving south to Wai o Tapu - the other thermal reserve which according to those in the know is better than the park we can see from our hotel room. The prime reason is the Lady Knox Geyser which spouts every day (with a little help) at about 10 am.

We are treated to four seasons in one day as the weather has turned again and a cold front is pushing up from the south. It is snowing! The guide tells us he has never ever seen snow in Rotorua and he has been here for 20 years. We watch the geyser spouting magnificently as the flakes fall around. There is a track to follow and we visit the many and varied ..... finishing with the "Devil's Bathtub" a luminous green pool, a completely natural phenomenon - Rowan describes it as a wizard's magical water!. A short drive takes us to the bubbling mudpools which we watch and listen to with much amusement as hot smelly mud belches and pops and squelches endlessly.

 







Our next destination is Te Puke - pronounced Tay Pookie (think cookie - not Luke!) to another odd NZ attraction. We have managed to avoid "Salmon World", "Troutland" and the "Prawn Park" on our travels but couldnt resist a quick stop off at "Kiwi 360" to view the enormous kiwi fruit and take part in a free tasting session of green and gold kiwi fruit. Sadly the orchard tour is not on as the trees are bare and we dont get the chance to ride in the kiwi fruit carriages!

 

We head north towards the Coromandel and rest our heads in Tairua at the Pinnacles Backpackers.