In the land of volcanoes

We continue to Rotorua. As soon as we arrive in the city, smoke clouds rise everywhere and an unpleasant smell lingers in the air. The area around the city is known for its geothermal activity. In Kauiraupark, we discover the first bubbling and gurgling spots. There are brown mud holes that bubble, but also clear lakes with sulfur steam rising above them - hence the smell of rotten eggs. The next day, we drive to the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Here, a geyser show starts daily at 10:15. In some blogs, we were warned that the geyser is triggered by washing powder, but what we experienced was incredible. At 10:15, a park employee arrived and put on a 20-minute show (we felt like we were in a circus), which the children and Asian tourists especially enjoyed. Then he really poured a bag of powder into the geyser, which slowly began to bubble. The result: about 1 minute of water spewing and then everyone ran into the park. Our conclusion: the geyser can really be skipped (it's better to visit the park at a different time when it's less crowded). We were one of the first in the park and since we decided to go the wrong way around the loop, there was hardly anyone at first. Passing by steaming cracks, a green lake, mud-spitting holes, you almost feel like you're in a movie. The Champagne Pools are beautiful. After that, there are some more unspectacular lakes and thermal areas. If you want to relax in hot waters after visiting the park, just drive a few minutes north to Kerosene Creek. Here, you can bathe for free in the hot springs of a river.