... off to the hot springs and geysers

Day 27 - 10/7/23… off to the hot springs and geysers

Rotorura is a small town in an area with geothermal activity.

It can happen that the city simply smells of sulfur - i.e. smells like rotten eggs. The geysers that exist here are fascinating. If you consider that the water, the mud, is sometimes 100 degrees Celsius hot, the steam is constantly smoldering around and there may be magma somehow beneath us...

Since it was constantly drizzling and the temperature downstairs was 15 degrees, we retreated to our accommodation, turned on the heating and lazed around. We saved ourselves the trip with the “Skyline” gondola up a panoramic mountain, it literally fell into the water.

We have already ordered heating oil for the coming winter in Darmstadt.

Day 28 - 10/8/23

Good weather and sunshine was forecast until the early afternoon and so we got up quite early to be in the Waimangu Volcanic Valley by 8.30am. The valley is easy to hike and what you get is sensational.

On the way to a boat trip on Lake Rotomakariri we passed various scenic views. Unfortunately, we had to watch two young birds overdo their game in the Inferno Crater and land on the water. The 100 degree warm broth then no longer allowed it to rise.

The New Zealanders, who incidentally have a similar relationship with the Aussis as we have with the Austrians or with us, are obviously naturally stoned - always in a good mood and relaxed. Karin even thinks that if the New Zealanders slow down, they'll already be dead.

In fact, the weather holds as predicted and we enjoy the sun and the warm wind with a cappuccino and a latte.