Tickled with Taupō

While the first full day in Taupō took its toll on me (see previous post re: Tongariro Alpine Trail), the remainder of the time in Taupo was all about rest, recovery, relaxation, and recreation! Taupo is a cute little town at the north end of beautiful Lake Taupō , NZ’s largest lake and epicenter of the “super volcano” that formed this region’s unique geography 27,000 years ago. Located a few hours south of Auckland, It is now a tourist destination with lots of cool stuff to do within an hour or two drive.

For recovery, we headed to Wairaiki Terraces, a gorgeous geothermal mineral spa heated to 3 different temperatures in the multitude of pools. We tested them all until we were pruny. It was perfect for our sore muscles!

We also took two recovery hikes that channeled my inner Hobbit and definitely helped clear the lactic acid in my legs!

For the rest and recovery, we had several lovely lakeside dining experiences, a visit to a glass-blowing artist studio (Lava Studio), and a visit to Aratiatia Rapids. Again for the Hobbit fans out there, this is where the Hobbits escaped in barrels in the movie “The Desolation of Smaug”. The dam is released 4x per day, releasing tons of water in 13-15 minutes (see photos). The massive power of the water was mesmerizing to watch and powers a hydropower plant that produces enough energy to power 150,000 EV’s per year ((330 GWh for those who don’t need things dumbed down lol). Fun fact: NZ gets over 80% of its energy from hydro, geothermal, and wind, making it a world leader in sustainable energy.

We took two day trips for additional recreation. First was an hour’s drive up to Rotorua to partake in a Maori culture experience at Mitai Maori Village. This was a bit “touristy”, but we enjoyed the history, performances including a haka, and “hangi” meal (layers of meat, root vegetables and bread cooked in a pit). Definitely worth the drive and two hours spent!

The final adventure was “blackwater rafting” trip through a cave with glow worms. Brian and I were the only ones who were up for the cold temps and the jumping off small ledges! We woke up early, headed to the “Macca” (kiwi for McDonalds!) for a drive thru breakfast on the 2 hour drive to Waitomo Caves for a 9:30 2-hour tour. They fitted us up with thick wetsuits (long john’s, jacket, booties), gum boots, and helmets, gave us quick “jump” test before heading into the cave. It was super cool (and only a bit cold!) to see stalactites, river coral (who knew that was a thing?), and amazing glow worms.

It was time for my “last supper” at a nice place in Taupō . We all commented on the really nice meals for a very reasonable prices (with no tax or tip added)!

I caught a short mid-morning flight from Taupō (cutest little airport ever and only 4 minutes from our AirBnB) back to Auckland. One more night in New Zealand before headed back to the States!Read more