Turangi

Tongiriro River at Turangi

We drove to Turangi  30 miles south of Taupo to do a week at a timeshare. The Tongariro National Park just south of here- the first in NZ to be designated when a local Maori chief gave it to the nation to save his sacred lands from being broken up, settled or spoiled- has three volcanoes.  Mt Ruapehu erupted in 1996/1997 and again in 2007 disrupting the skiing which takes place on its slopes for two seasons. The landscape was the setting for the scenes from Lord of the Rings that showed Mordor. 

Lake Taupo is also an old volcanic crater which when it erupted in 186AD caused the formation of the largest lake in NZ.   The beaches surrounding it are covered in pumice.  The whole area is quite heavily Maori.  Meeting  houses with ornate wooden carvings around the doorway are sited within communities and signs are in Maori and English.  Generally the Turangi area has an air of being populated with a lower socio -economic profile; the first time we have seen this on the trip.  It had a “Second Chance” type adult education unit prominently in the middle of town. 

Huka Falls

We went to see some of the sights north of Taupo which included the Huka falls; a rather spectacular waterfall which is nearly horizontal but funnels five  Olympic sized swimming pools per second through the channel of rock.  We went on to look at the geothermal features.  These are gaps in the rocks that channel steam and water from fumaroles and bubbling, rumbling mud pits-amazing, We’d never seen anything quite like it. 

Fumaroles near Taupo

"Boiling" Mud Pits

The precarious nature of NZ as a shaky piece of land perched on top of the pacific plates which are constantly moving was really brought home to us.  We watched a very moving film about the recent Christchurch earthquake.  How people live with the worry of this on a daily basis I can’t imagine.  Their resolve and resilience is humbling.

A highlight of this week has been a white water rafting trip 7 miles down the Tongariro river, a spur of the moment idea which I hoped I wouldn’t regret!  I didn’t.  Despite an arthritic hip, Steve came too and suffered no ill effects; we both thought it was a truly amazing experience.  It involved getting kitted out in wet suit gear, a Grade 3 river (out of 5), a good looking young local raft guide called Yak ( short for Kayak), 50 rapids to negotiate, scenery that you can’t access any other way, viewing an endangered species of Blue Duck, getting totally soaked, almost falling out, hitting the rock face of the cliffs by the river, paddling like mad and lots of screams usually from me.  Fantastic fun!!!! 

We are still following the rugby too but oh that was so not a red card offence from Alain Rolland.  Wales were robbed.  I just hope France turn up and play some decent rugby in the final. 

Off to the Coromandel now for our last week in NZ.