Taupo and Rotorua

The following pictures are of our time spent in Taupo and Rotorua.

Standing over Huka falls. Where Lake Taupo (largest lake in NZ) spills into the mighty Waikato river (NZ's longest river)

The Waikato river powers multiple power stations in and around this region

The opening of Huka falls

Emily with lake Taupo in the back ground

A frighting fact about Lake Taupo is that the entire lake is a crater of a massive Volcano

                                                                              

As soon as you enter Rotorua, the smell of sulfur (rotten eggs) overwhelms your senses. This smell occurs due to the volcanic activity in the region.

Rotorua is the Maori capital of NZ

One of several sulfur vents in Rotorua

Government house

Emily in front of lake Rotorua, with the Polynesian bath houses in the back ground, where we spent several hours soaking in the thermal pools (heated by the thermal activity below).

Open vent on beach

John by a bubbling pool 

These signs are everywhere in Rotorua

Large chunk of Jade extracted from Siberia

Eruption that wiped out a Maori village

Volcano in the background where the Tarawera eruption occurred.

The Green Lake

Lush vegetation

In the redwood forest outside Rotorua. These trees were planted here over 100 years ago in an effort to see what trees would grow best in NZ. The pine tree would win out but these Californian Redwoods were left to grow into the giants they are today.

A 104 year old Redwood

One of several walking tracks in the woods

Emily doing her best rodeo

A geyser going off in Rotorua, one of many.