From Auckland to Lake Taupo

We met up at the airport with Frank and Liz, picked up the MPV people carrier, and set off on the 4.5 hour drive to Lake Taupo, with me kicking off the driving stint and Frank ably navigating us onto the highway. En route we stopped off for lunch at Tirau -a very interesting place with a penchant for oversized corrugated tin sculptures (don't ask?). This was about mid point on our journey and Frank took over driving duties down to Lake Taupo which is 1.5 times the size of Singapore!

The accommodation was plush, in a perfect location with great views over the lake. After taking stock of our next day's activities we decided that a trip to Huka falls was a must (which meant a motor launch up to the falls themselves), as was seeing the Arataratia rapid's dam being opened...from the safety of the viewing bridge of course. Next up an interesting, wet but very warm walk around "craters of the moon" -hot springs, mud pools and guysers, before signing off with another cruise -this time a 2 hour trip around the Lake to see the Maori rock sculptures. Our boat -the Ernest Kemp -was a steam boat replica with a rounded hull, which would have been very unforgiving in choppy waters -thankfully all was calm!

Craters of the moon.........very spooky........wet and steamy.....

..then onto our cruise of the Lake...no other takers, just us and the booze cabinet