Black swan at Blue Spring Putaruru

New Zealand is a challenging place to tour - especially on a relatively tight schedule (9 nights for North Island) with two fun-loving (read: non-militant, independently-minded) kiddies in tow. We had to trade-off breadth vs. depth of coverage, as well as factor in the different kinds of activities likely to be memorable and interesting for all. Transit days were the trickiest, trying to make the most of the daylight hours, while working around the necessary trajectory and 5-8 hours of driving.

On the way from Coromandel to Rotorua, we took our second driving break at Blue Spring park. The spring supplies some >90% of New Zealand's natural drinking water and we can attest to its freshness and quality after having sampled some directly from the source! The clarity of the water enabled us to see the unique seaweed filters in action, as well as some amazing shades of blue-green goodness. A black swan also decided to grace our visit with its presence: A timely reminder to always keep our eyes open for the outliers, the unexpected, the wonderful.Read more