Lava Glass, Huka Falls and Aratiatia Dam

A few years ago, I went to Lava Glass and interviewed chief-glass-blower, Lynden Over. Coming back many years later, the sculpture garden is a welcome addition. The children enjoyed seeing how the glass works were created and then running about the park and eating at the cafe.

Mum in the glass flower garden

Of course, a trip to Taupo must include a visit to the Huka Falls. The mighty Waikato River narrows from 100m across to squeeze, gush and froth through a canyon 15m wide. The power of the water is noisy and impressive.

The Weevil and family striking poses

Natural fern unfurling

Artificial flax unfurling

Upstream: the calm before the waterfall

The Aratiatia Power Station is a hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River 13km downstream from Lake Taupo. Before the dam was constructed (in 1964), the Aratiatia Rapids were quite a feature, but the dam stopped the water from flowing over them. Now the gates are opened several times a day (and the times are well-publicized) to recreate this effect, while public viewing platforms allow for people to enjoy the experience of the turbulent waters. 

Apparently the rapids were used for a scene from The Hobbit in which Bilbo Baggins rescues some dwarves from some elves by putting them in barrels and sending them downstream. As I am boycotting the film, I couldn't possibly comment, but it does make it a popular hobbit-spotters' hang-out.

Week 31: Maunga and taniwha

We had the most beautiful weather driving up the Desert Road to Taupo and the maunga (mountains) stood out dazzlingly against the clear blue sky.

Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro slumber peacefully by the lake, and on a day like today it is hard to believe they are mighty powerful volcanoes.

The Ora (well-being) garden won gold at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2004. It is reconstructed outside the Taupo Museum and features and features 1000 native plants 'selected for their culinary appeal, cultural significance and traditional Maori medicinal properties'. It is guarded by the moko waiwera, or hot-water lizard.

You can almost smell the suplhur in the steam rising out of this photograph at Wairakei Thermal Valley.

At the Huka Falls, around 220,000 litres of water per second gushes through a 15 metre wide canyon as the Waikato River squeezes into a foaming frothing mass of blue bubbles.

All of this natural thermal energy is converted at the Wairakei Geo-thermal power station. There is a strange beauty in the lines and curves of the pipes.

At Orakei Korako we thought this was funny. Childish I know, and it doesn't work in an American accent.

It's colourful even in wet weather, but make sure you stick to path!

The walk around Lake Rotopounamu is beautiful and calm.

The rain is waiting for us back in Wellington, but we are farewelled with a rainbow.