Let off some steam

The next stop for us is Taupo. There are lots of thermal fields around this huge lake (the largest lake in New Zealand), which was created by a supervolcanic eruption. We visit one of these thermal parks and walk on wooden paths between bubbling and hissing mud and sulfur vapor. Afterwards we make ourselves comfortable at the campsite and feel so comfortable that we stay another night.

Today we want to go to Huka Falls, a very rapid waterfall with incredibly clear water. 220,000 liters of water rush down the 11 meter high waterfall every second. All the water is collected in a reservoir a few kilometers away. The locks are opened here several times a day and we just happen to be there at the right time. The river bed, which was initially almost completely dry, is completely flooded within a few minutes. By the way, the scene of the fleeing hobbits in the wooden barrel was also filmed here. Unfortunately, such tourist tours are not offered here. We stroll a bit through the city and along the lakeshore. Watch the would-be golfers try to hit the hole on an island in the lake in a hole-in-one challenge. Whoever completes it wins NZD 10,000. Motivated by this, we let off steam at the nearest mini golf course. I'm going home as the winner today by a large margin. Whooop Whoop! In the evening we start with a game of cards, which will probably accompany us almost every day for the next few weeks. The next morning we drive past mud pools again, skip a swim and continue on to our next stop.