Mud Pool NZ

All I could think of was 'Lord of the Rings', the movie and it's animated character, 'Smeagol'. I think he emerges out of mud pool in the movie if I am right. The place was nothing like we imagined. It was on my mom's top list, that amazing.

Wai-O-Tapu in Maori is 'scared water' and it is an active geothermal which we could smell it from a distance. We were heading to Rotorua for a place similar to this and were only 27km away but we decided to turn around for we knew we would be late to get back to Hamilton. So, we stopped by at Waiotapu. The area had many hot springs and boiling pools. Mud pool may be the favourite place in North island. For me, it was Taupo but spluttering mud makes you think every non living thing is living too, in a way. The belching holes burp, spit and hiccups just like kids would do and it was amazing, nothing like you have seen before. If you were to be alone which I was for a while and it was a different world with sound effects of plopping and belching and hissing..

We also found a 'secret spot'. The place is known as 'Secret Spot' but the secret's obviously well out. I think it would be a nice place to come with candles at night, so cozy and peace although very close to the road. A nice spot to relax on the journey between Taupo & Rotorua. We would go into the stream but it was filled with some drunken swimmers and we decided not to go in.

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Mt Ruapehu NZ

After a very warm night in a small town of Waiouru, we headed to Whakapapa Village, located at the base of the access road to Whakapapa ski field on the western side of Mt Ruapehu. Whakappa is one of two commercial ski fields of Mt Ruapehu, the other one is Turoa on the southern slope. Whakapapa, the larger. Well, we made a full round of Tongariro National Park, it just took us couple of days.

We had a plan to ski but unfortunately there wasn't enough snow yet. The season is generally from June to October depending upon ski condition. I guess we were only two weeks early. Had there been more snow, there would have been more snow ball throwers. We didnt mind though, we had snow ball throwing game season for a while and sat by the pristine looking mountain pond.

The mountain was all brown although half covered with white snow and I wondered why. So, I found out Mt Ruapehu is one of the world's most active volcanoes and the largest active volcano in New Zealand. It is also the highest point in the North Island but I couldn't tell how high we were at. Well, we could have seen the eruption too looking at the frequency of eruption the mountain had, it looked like it is the time again. Unfortunately, it didn't happen and we didn't have to run.

Whakapapa Village

Waiouru NZ

After a nice and relaxing afternoon in the hot stream of Taupo, we  headed to Whakhapapa Village. Well, that's what we intended to but ended up to this small town, Waiouru.

The state highway we took just before we reached this place was a 'Desert Road', literally a desert highway. We could see nothing, hardly any cars passing by, no plants or animals, nothing living but deserted. It was about 35km through Rangipo desert to Turangi which is the southern end of Lake Taupo. We thought we would get to nothing but when we saw this small cluster of a police station, petrol station, half a dozen of cafe/restaurants along the highway, there was a sigh of relief. I went in to a small cafe just opposite the petrol station and asked this chinese lady working in a kitchen how much a small container of rice would cost. She said 10 bucks and she gave me this look like 10 bucks for a container of rice is cheap. "Where on earth am I in?", I talked to myself. Anyway, there were motels in the town, two of them. One had a big sign on the front door saying, they are closed on Sundays. Since it was late, we had nowhere to go but this only motel in the town. 

So, this 75 year old english owner of the motel helped us, get the rooms heat up pretty quick and also with other things. After he is done with everything, he gave my dad a compliment; he goes, " I dont normally do this sir, but your daughters are beautiful. I wish I was in 30's." We three sisters couldn't help but laugh, out loud, really loud. We roar the town in this case. Haha!

The roads would be foggy most of the time, when it is not, it's colorful.

By the time we stopped for this birdy, it was gone miles away.

Sheep and more sheep, everywhere you go.

Waiouru Motel

Morning view from the motel window.

Spa Thermal Park NZ

It is called Otumuheke Stream, meaning hot river, a great place to relax and soak in an open air hot springs. Amazing as it sounds, there were a series of small natural hot pools from a hot stream. The thermal Spa Park with natural hot pools from a hot stream which ultimately mixes with cold water of the Waikato river. 

We changed at toilets near the parking bay and walked down to the park bear foot, everyone seemed doing the same. As much we enjoyed walking bear foot on luscious grass of the Thermal park, we enjoyed soaking in the hot pools equally, we kept moving from one to another. As the stream merges onto the Waikato river, temperature varied when hot stream mixes with cold river water. The merging with the mighty Waikato River created a wonderful free swimming hole. It would be a great place to plunge into in summer. We found some were into it, despite the chilly weather. Well, I wanted to as well after the hot spring soaking, but the place seemed to be crowded with some young lads with tattoos and their dogs and there came my hesitation. Well, I will next time, if I make it. It was one of those serene places you see in the movies where couples walk into it and there comes a musical loop. 

The last thing we three cousins did at the park was, swing onto the rope. It was definitely a great fun but didn't beat the hot stream, No.

This is where I'd love to go again. 

Open air hot spring

Watch it or Lose it.

Cold water river mixes with hot stream

We should have one of these at home. 'The Swing'

Huka Falls NZ

Huka Falls didnt seem to be far away but it took us about two and half hours drive from Hamilton. It wasn't that hard to find the place except that we took couple of wrong turn. We got there eventually. Woah, the rushing water of Huka Falls, gave me goosebumps whilst crossing over the bridge for a look out. It felt like I've been to this place, like many a times. Sure I have in my dreams. Deja vu moments I guess. 'Huka' is the Maori name of the falls and it means 'foam'. It make sense for it looked like white foam over crystal blue with rapids flowing through the rock face of Waikato river. People should have put more thought into while naming these hands too, not that I don't like my name but curious. The data says, the flow volume of the falls approaches 220,000 litres per second, this could fill two Olympic sized swimming pools per second. I would have loved watching people spin onto the falls but I missed it. People hopping on Hukafalls jet for a spin, salute!  That would have been really scary.

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Hamilton NZ

Colorful Hamilton

After our first night in Auckland city, we headed north, Hamilton was our first pit stop. We didn't do much on the day besides picnicking by the pond at Hamilton garden, one of the Waikato region's most visited tourist attractions. There's something for everyone at the garden, for us, the swings. Dad hesitated to move ahead for he was tired, so did mom. After walking into hundreds, we finally found one hotel with the last remaining perfectly fitting family size room. We didn't realise the current status of the city with two on-going concerts. 
We loved our stay so much, we did come back to Hamilton to check-in into the same hotel for our final night.  Loved the city!

Three heads trying to figure out where to go next. Too many head, too many maps.

Auckland city tower.