6. Rotorua to Wellington

Our 450 km drive from Rotorua to Wellington was slightly delayed by the flashing lights of the kiwi police who wanted to have a friendly chat with Mike. And it wasn't to welcome us to Wellington. The fine was <$100 US, so, minimal damage.

On our way down we stopped to see the Huka Falls. Fed by the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river, the falls generate enough power to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in just 11 seconds. The water color was spectacular.

Along our drive we passed Taupo Lake, a crater lake located in the caldera of Taupo Volcano, and the largest surface area lake in NZ (238 sq mi).

We detoured briefly to the west coast to stretch our legs at Himatangi Beach, which allows cars to access and drive it (the last thing we needed on our 6+ hour journey). It was a refreshing reprise from the drive.Lue lisää