The Reynoldz

On Sunday 4/15/07, we packed up the people mover and headed 350 kilometers north to the center of the North Island. Lake Taupo. Figuring you can travel 100 km, it should take about 4 hours or so to get there. However, the main highway is a two lane road with many different towns to go through. We made a few quick stops along the way and it took us about 6 hours. We stayed at a Top 10 Campground just outside of Taupo. We traveled from Wellington to the lake you see in the middle of this map.

We saw the West side of New Zealand for a short bit before the highway turned inland. The highway heading out of Wellington.

Kapiti Island Nature Reserve is one of New Zealand's premier conservation sites. It provides a great insight into how New Zealand would have looked before the arrival of mankind. It only has plants and species native to New Zealand.

We stopped in a town called Levin to play at the huge park. The kids enjoyed the trampolines, zip lines and climbing. A way to shake the wiggles out before heading back on the road.

We stopped for a bathroom and treat break at this gas station with a Airplane painted like a cookie. It stunk like mildew, but the kids enjoyed it. Athea gave her mommy a nice poopie treat, not the pop sickle kind. So our stay was a little longer while there was a dig for a change of clothes. Faith was both the pilot and the flight attendant on Cookie Air.

Athea says - I'm all cleaned up, ready for a treat.

We saw the Volcano, Mount Ruapehu, but it was covered in clouds. Hoping we have a sunny day so we can see the peak.

The campground has cabins, where we rented one. #18. A nice small place with 4 bunk bed in one room (sleeping 8) and another two beds in the front room with a table, fridge and sink. No toilet, that is down the road. Just like camping. Next to the cabin was a 200 meter drop to a boiling pool of water. A steamy haze constantly rose over the trees and the electric fence that my kids were totally interested in. A haze was a little erie and smell was egg farty.

It was a nice place and it had a great pool that was heated by the thermal ground. There also was a nice playground and a huge air filled jumping mat. Little did we know they were doing demo work on the two adjacent units. Gutting them completely to add hot water, stoves and I think I heard toilets. The workmen started pounding away by 7:00 am. Rise and shine. They were nice about it and waited until 7:30 the next day.

Jump, jump, my feet are cold... Waa waa, my feet are cold.

Yes, that is steam coming from the pool. The air was colder than the water. Hard to get out.

On Monday we went on a hike to see the hot springs where people bathe and Huka Falls. A 45 minute walk is what the sign said. After an hour or more, we asked some people who were coming back if the falls were far and they said, we were only about 1/2 way. So we turned around. Our kids are not the hikers yet and silly us, we didn't bring the water with. The sites were beautiful, here are some pictures. It reminded me of the St. Croix river valley, except the water was so blue/green from the thermal pools. The leaves are changing colors since it is fall in New Zealand. We also saw some black swans, beautiful. It rained for a little bit during our return walk and when we came up over the hill, we saw a rainbow. We let the kids play at the park a bit before heading back for dinner.

The bridge crossing over the thermal stream. Many people were bathing under the bridge, but I just took a picture of the hot spring waterfall, you can see the steam, if you look close.

The hot springs flow into the river, causing the color to be blue/green.

Black swans, swimming in the rain.

Colors changing and a rainbow.

A double rainbow.

I'll post more for what we did on Tuesday and information about our trip home.