Taupo & Kinloch

A day out in Taupo with ma and pa involved a trip to the Crafty Trout Brewing Co. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was very tasty (we had great pizzas and crispy calamari).

The beers are all named after fly-fishing terms (such as Hook, Line, Sinker, Lure, Poacher). We tried the Hook - a Vienna Amber, which was malty, hoppy and smooth - and the Poacher - a Hefe-Weizen with subtle flavours of coriander, orange and grapefruit.

The Crafty Trout 

Walking around Taupo, I was impressed with all sorts of local artwork. This work by Lyden Over (of Lava Glass fame) was the first work commissioned by the Taupo Sculpture Trust and it stands outside the Tourist Information Centre. The 4,000 glass feathers in The Great Cloak of Tia represent the sky, lake and river (the blue/green side) and the volcanic nature of the region (the earthy brown side).

Tia was a Maori explorer and chief, who named this area after spotting some cliffs which reminded him of the colours in his cloak. The Great Cloak of Tia is Taupo-nui-a-Tia in Maori, although this name for the lake and township was later shortened to Taupo.

The Great Cloak of Tia by Lynden Over

Swell by Colleen Ryan-Priest

Even the rubbish bins had specific designs on them - my mum really liked them, so these are for her. They were also found on the side of the public toilets, and the Weevil made me take pictures of them, so I made her come with me in case of questioning as to my intentions.

Kinloch proved to be a popular spot with the young folk as they played cricket and then built 'fish' on the beach from sticks and sand.

We all ate fish and chips, which was delightful with such a backdrop. Some carried on fishing for their own supper.

White-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)

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.