Taupo Super Volcano

Last two days in NZ, and we chose to head Northwards and to the beautiful Lake Taupo. The drive from Wellinton was very cool, we drove right through the Tongariro National Park which was the setting for Mordor in LOTR. There are also two huge mountains in the park that are both dormant volcanos, they are both huge, imnposing, snow capped and most closely resemble the pointy mountains of my childhood drawings.

Taupo is on the shore of Lake Taupo which was once the crater of the worlds biggest volcano, funny I only read an article not so long ago that mentioned that Taupo is one of the worlds "super volcanos' due for another explosion 'some time soon'. Unfortunatley some time soon could be tomorrow or in 300 years - best not to stress over that one.

It is however a glorious place, the crystalline lake, mountains, the huge Waikato river and it's waterfalls and because it's still in a thermal area there are those wispy curls of mist floating over everything which makes it look like witches have just left the scene after a spot of spell making.

We did our one big tacky NZ thing today and went jet boating - I loved it, spinning around, being airborne and of course getting one extremely wet and soggy arse. We are staying in a most hilarious place as well - it's an old fibro 1950's lodge that looks like the house that Samantha and Darren lived in, in Bewitched. It's our last night in NZ, I already feel like I have been away for months but come tomorrow the serious travelling begins......... eeeek.