Taupo

We cruised into Taupo and checked into our motel early (you can always check into motels early here).

Taupo is a lake resort town with lots to do, so we followed what is becoming a familiar routine and headed first for the tourist information office for a chat.

We decided that, since it was overcast and windy, be could best spend the afternoon on a riverboat trip up the Waikato river to see the Huko falls.

Lake Taupo is a huge lake that is a caldera, formed as a result of a massive prehistoric eruption (10 x the size of Krakatoa). There is a lot of geothermal activity here.

We drove out of town to a dam on the river where we boarded the riverboat and met the captain Dave, who with the ease that comes with long experience, simultaneously steered the boat (while facing backwards), gave a great commentary, and brewed the tea, all at the same time.

The river winds up past a hugh geothermal power station that generates 3% of NZ’s electricity. The smell of sulphur is pretty strong an this is one time we were pleased it was windy.

Haku falls is the largest waterfall, by volume, in NZ and all of the water in lake Taupo drains through it.

The Kiwis are into adrenaline activities of all kinds, and at the falls we had grandstand seats as a group of kayakers shot the falls…

Just below the Dam, the river used to run through a gorge. At 4pm, they opened the sluice gates to flood the gorge - something they do just to please the tourists! These photos show before and after…