Taupo and Rotorua

By New Year's Eve we had arrived in Taupo, and found our AirBnb, a short walk from the lake.  The host greeted us with a raisin loaf still warm from the breadmaker - very nice!  In Taupo they have a pretend-midnight fireworks display at 10 pm for the kids, which is just right for us!  We sat on the beach and watched the display, although it was some distance away toward the town centre.

New Year fireworks at Lake Taupo.

On the first day of the new decade we revisited the local sights - Huka Falls, Ariatiatia rapids, and the Wairakei GNS offices where James sometimes goes as part of his role.

Morning coffee beside the old Sikorsky helicopter near Huka falls.

The falls are always impressive when there is a reasonable amount of water flowing through.

The tourist boats nose up close to the thundering Huka Falls, for photo opportunities.

The Aratiatia rapids provide daily entertainment as the gates on the dam above are opened to transform the rapids from a quiet trickle into a raging torrent.  Normally the water is diverted past the rapids in underground penstocks to a power station just downstream, but as a concession to tourism the gates are opened three or four times a day to provide this spectacle.

Sirens sound several times before each opening of the gates, to warn anyone in the riverbed.

The peaceful scene before the gates are opened.

Ten minutes later the same scene is quite different!

It is fascinating watching as the water level rises to cover rocks the size of a bus which were previously high and dry.  This is the Waikato River, which explains the great volume of water.

We had a couple of swims in the lake - it was not cold.

On our way from Taupo to Ohope we stopped for lunch in Rotorua, and detoured to the redwood forests where there are walks among the trees.  These trees were planted here 118 years ago.  We have happy memories of walking here when L and J were very small, with their Timaru grandparents.  Now there is also tree-top walkway, a big tourist attraction, so we bought our tickets and did that too.

The tree-top walk, 500 metres long and with 23 bridges.

Even Harry and Meghan have been here!

The highest platform is about 20 metres up.

These large lightshades hanging amongst the trees are lit up at night.

The entry / exit ramp gets you up to the walkway.

PS. After our Ohope holiday Lisa and Adam returned here and did the walkway at night, when it is all illuminated.

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The Forgotten World Highway

The "Forgotten World Highway" is the remote route from Stratford to Taumaranui, State Highway 43.  It spans 150km, about 12km of which is a fairly rough unsealed section through the steep Tarangakau Gorge.  Somewhere near the middle is the village of Whangamomona, which declared itself a republic in 1989 when it was suddenly deemed no longer part of Taranaki province.

We decided to tick this one off our bucket list, as the "main" route from New Plymouth to Taupo is fairly long and indirect anyway.

Coffee at the Whangamomona Hotel.

A few horses went past, following their leader.

The "Hobbit's Hole" one-way, unlined and unlit tunnel.

SH 43 is apparently the only State Highway left in New Zealand with an un-sealed section.  However I read that it is scheduled to be sealed in the near future.

We took the 15 km side-trip of the highway to visit Mount Damper Falls, one of the highest in the country at 74 metres.  The road was probably easier than the main SH 43, and there was a 20 minute walk through farmland and then bush to reach the lookout for the falls.

Quite pretty, but a modest flow compared to Sutherland Falls.

The information panel at the start of the track.

The track to the falls.

A selfie!

Toward the end of our drive we found the Lavendar Farm which is reputed to be a nice afternoon tea stop.

An excellent place to sip coffee, overlooking the lavendar.

The air was filled with the buzzing of the bees, making lavendar honey I suppose...

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New Plymouth

We drove the long (scenic) way around the coast to New Plymouth rather than taking the direct route through Stratford.  Mount Taranaki sits on your right throughout, but cloud blocked our view almost all the way.  We tried without success to make out Fantham's Peak, the secondary peak on the south of Mount Taranaki, which we have walked up in the past.

Opunake was our lunch stop, the main town on the road, where we also had a look at the wild Tasman Sea from the cliffs.

The lookout platform on the Northern Headland at Opunake.

The sea did not look very inviting.

The Opunake beach is in the bay to the left.  This seemed to be a rather rugged boat ramp!

Mount Taranaki, from just before New Plymouth.

The cloud on the mountain finally cleared after lunch, as we approached New Plymouth.  It's a great view across the rolling countryside, very pretty.

We stayed three nights in New Plymouth, time enough for a good look around.  The city seems quite lively, and they have developed the waterfront with the huge wind-wand, sculptures, and kilometres of boardwalk for walkers and cyclists.

New Plymouth has big shiny waterfront sculptures too.

Not really a swimming beach - they are further west.

the wind wand is verrrry tall.

The undulating reflective wall of the Len Lye Centre (Govett-Brewster art gallery)

Nice cafe across the road, where we ate a few times.

Embroidered thingies in the gallery.

Sequinned gourds?

Apparently the gallery is in a re-purposed cinema building.

The coastal walkway / cycleway extends for several kilometres, and hundreds of people were using it.

The dramatic Te Rewa Rewa bridge has become quite famous.

Pohutokawa - or something else?

At least the kite surfers love the wind.  There were about thirty out.

Looking along the Fitzroy beach to the west of the city we saw a couple of dozen kite surfers frolicing in the wind and waves.  Apparently wind-surfing is no longer popular.

Late that night we joined thousands of others wandering around Pukekura Park and gardens admiring the Festival of Lights.

The giant illuminated peacock.  His tail slowly folded and unfurled.

The colourful changing waterfall.

Large glowing kiwi, with slightly creepy eyes.

Colourful birds on a chandelier.

Moving, colour-changing spotlights and dry ice on the footbridge.

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Whanganui

This summer we did a bit of a road trip around the North Island, taking in Taranaki, Taupo, Ohope, Muriwai, and Warkworth.  Our first stop was an overnight in Whanganui.  I don't think we have ever stayed there, although long ago we did do a five-day kayak trip down the Whanganui River.

The Whanganui riverfront has been developed and hosts a weekend market.

The wiggly line across this globe is the Whanganui River.

Whanganui public art.

The weekend street market.

Just across the river from the main street is the unique Durie Hill elevator and tower. It was constructed 100 years ago, and comprises a 200 metre tunnel bored into the hill down at river level, at the end of which is an elevator which takes you up through the hill to the top! It costs just $2, which is collected by the lady who operates the elevator.  It is quite small and kicks and groans a bit as it goes up - not for the claustrophobic!

Crossing the Whanganui.  The War Memorial Tower is visible on the skyline.

Durie Hill Elevator.

The entrance to the tunnel.

The tunnel is nicely painted and brightly lit.  The elevator is at the far end.

From the top there is a panoramic view over Whanganui City and the river.  The lift was constructed as part of a new housing development on top of Dury Hill one hundred years ago.  Today the area seems quite posh, with some nice houses along the hill with great city views.

The top the lift, on Durie Hill.

We climbed up that spiral staircase (previous photo) and inspected the view.

The highest point on the hill is the War Memorial Tower.

We felt obliged to climb the 176-step War Memorial Tower which stands near the top of the elevator.  That provided the best views, although there was a stiff breeze up there.

Looking down on the elevator tower and the city from the Memorial Tower.

We returned to the city via the path and steps which provide an alternative to the elevator.  The CBD has a reasonable shopping centre, although it was mostly still closed for the holidays.  Next morning we set off for New Plymouth, taking the long way around Mount Taranaki via Opunake.  On the way  out of town we paused for coffee and a walk at the Virginia Lake Reserve, where there were lots of waterfowl, joggers, and locals out for a walk.

Virginia Lake Reserve

Australian coot and chick?

Weka

I stopped to ask a woman feeding the birds the name of those birds with the white beak and shield on their face.  I remembered wondering when we saw the same birds in Queenstown last year.  She did not know, but three minutes later came running up behind us to tell us she had looked it up on the internet and decided they are Australian coots!  We started noticing that everyone we passed said a friendly "good morning" - the difference between provincial and city dwellers?

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