Living on a Narrowboat
One of the main attractions and features of Rotorua and the area is the high level of geothermal activity.
On the same rift as White Island, mentioned earlier in this blog, Rotorua is renowned for it baths and geothermal formations.
No where can these be found in more glory than at the Wai-o-Tapo park.
Lady Knox
A 15m Geyser erupting daily.
Lady Knox Geyser, New Zealand
Lady Knox Geyser, New Zealand
Each morning there is a regular show at 10.15am.
Weblinks: Lady Knox
Buried Village, Rotorua
Buried Village, Rotorua
Part of the range of attractions on offer around Rotorua, family owned, the lost village tells a story through a museum and guided tour, of how a village Te Wairoa and it’s notaries were either buried or managed to escape the eruptions of Tarawera in 1886.
Swingers, Museum, Buried Village, Rotorua 
Te Wairoa
A point of departure for international tourists to take the pink and white terrace lakes, calciated lakes similar to that which can be found in Pummukale Turkey.
The main hotel was owned by a Scotsman, McRae, it was from here a local notary, Guide Sophie used to take parties up to the terraces.
Omen
Part of this included a trip across a lake Rotomahana.
Ten days before the eruption, crossing this lake, dog headed apparitions were spotted in in a Maori war canoe, none of which existed in the area.
The village elder who accurately predicted this was an omen of doom and bad things would follow.
Lost
Ten days later at 1am in the morning the village was buried and 150 of the residents had lost their lives.
Set in beautiful surroundings, including jungle, trout streams, waterfalls, interspersing the various bits of ruin and excavations along the way, this was a good way to spend the afternoon as the weather stayed good.
Weblinks: Buried Village
Travelling with PeeJay’s.
White Island is about 40k off-shore. Takes about 1 1/2 hours to get there.
In 1932 there was a sulphur mining operation on the island. After repeated eruptions, deaths and eventually bankrupcy, operations ceased.
The island now is like a moving sand of volcanic activity.
White Island, New Zealand
As you can see the place is not exactly Hawaii.
Don’t look into the Rain
We are told stories of melting radio’s zippers, trainer islets, items of clothing, the rain is acid, the floor is a shifting crust of ash beneath which lies pools of boiling mud.
It is home to the worlds most acidic lake.
White Island, New Zealand
At PH1, this lake is pure hydrochloric acid, there were still Germans rolling their towels out beside it as we arrived.
White Island, New Zealand
Everything on this island seems to explode or break. Which is why we are given helmets and gas masks when we arrive.
Weblinks: PeeJays
Weblinks: White Island
Today I will be travelling the North Island Pacific Coastal Road.
I have been advised this is one of the most spectacular in NZ.
I will be taking some photographs of what I deem to be the good views.
Maybe stopping off at some of the attractions.
More later.
Weblinks: http://www.newzealand.com/
Milford Sound Underwater Centre, New Zealand
This is not part of the tour and costs and additional $25.
Underwater
Gives you the opportunity to get down to Milford’s salt water layer and observe the wealth of wildlife.
This isn’t like Loch Ness, where you might have the odd sock floating around, there are many fish, corals and life going on 10m under.
Friend
These fish were showing off for me.
Notice the particularly ugly one at the front.
Milford Sound – Underwater Center, New Zealand
Weblinks: Milford Sound Underwater Observatory
