Whitianga
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We spent two nights in Whitianga. It was a pretty town but very touristy. We caught a movie and walked along the beach.
We spent two nights in Whitianga. It was a pretty town but very touristy. We caught a movie and walked along the beach.
We stop in Waihi to see the open cut gold mine. It’s ugly but worth a look. Unfortunately, we have an unpleasant incident with a museum. There is a small museum in town and another large one nearEn savoir plus
Before long we are in Tauranga parking near a beach on a beautiful sunny day. It’s only about 21’C (70F) but feels like summer. It’s amazing how quickly the body adjusts to new surrounds. WhileEn savoir plus
As we drive to Tauranga we see a sign to Okere Falls. With all the rain we’ve experienced that sounds like a promising prospect. And it is. The walk to the falls is relatively short. This used toEn savoir plus
Huka Falls are indescribable. The water is pure blue and the power is frightening.
The Craters of the Moon are well worth the modest $8 entry fee ($20 for families with up to four children). This is a geothermal field containing steam vents and boiling mud pools.
Aratiatia Rapids with their impossibily blue waters. The water from Lake Taupo that forms the rapids is usually only released three times a day but due to Cyclones Debbie and Cook, the gates have beenEn savoir plus
We drive into Taupo, passing a giant bicycle that commemorates the annual Taupo cycling challenge. The lake is 160km in circumference and about 7,000 cyclists participate in the challenge to rideEn savoir plus
The views from the kitchen window of the batch we've rented are lovely. Paul and I discuss the stupidity of large houses when all a couple really need is this sort of space with a bed, lounge,En savoir plus
Lake Taupo is far larger than I had imagined. And it has cliffs along the edges, not just sloping shores. It’s a pretty drive around the lake with plenty of places to stop.