Huka Prawn Park 1-10-13

After a day of rest (and variable weather) we ventured out south this time to Taupo and the Prawn Park we spotted when we went to Huka Falls. This time the weather was perfect so we paid the full amount to get in and started by feeding the trout and taking the nature walk.

Shawn's Gauntlet  - run through and don't get caught by the water.

 

From here we went on the guided tour round the prawn breeding area and nursery. We even got to feed the babies! 7 females to 1 male for breeding. 



Then it was out to the pools and a couple of hours fishing before we had 2 prawns between us, Geoff and Maddy caught them. The local mosquito fish in the ponds kept eating the bait, small chopped pieces of ox heart, but we kept trying with our bamboo canes. It wasn't as boring as you might think and very peaceful. The pools are heated from the geothermal power station next door and the water is at 25 Celsius. Too hot (35) and the prawns cook, to cold (under 15) and they freeze.

At hut 2 you can immerse your prawns in boiling water then eat them, so we did! From there it was off to Countdown (a local supermarket) for lunch which we took to the lakefront to eat while admiring the view of Mount Doom covered in snow. Awesome.

Mud Pools 29-9-13

3km up the road are some mud pools, fascinating to see the steam and the glup everywhere.

Thermal Wonderland 29-9-13

As it's the holidays we are having extra adventure days so after church today we went to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland about 10 minutes down the road. There was an excellent visitor centre and ample parking space. the park is split into three walks of 1km, 2km and 3km. We did the 3 km looking at all the craters,sulpher mounds, Champange Pool, Oyster Pool. the Devil's Inkpot and other well labelled sites of interest.

Devils Inkpots

By the Champagne pool

Devils Bath

Tardis blue shoes - very exciting for a Mo

Boardwalk across the Artists Palette

either Zorro or Harry Potter beat us there!

Oyster pool

algae

Lake Ngakoro Waterfall

Lake Ngakoro

Gypsy Fair 28/9/13

It's the end of our first term and we are on holiday for the next two weeks, hopefully our UK belongings will arrive and we can decorate our house into a home. We are hoping to do some more exploring as well!
Today there was a Gypsy Fair in Rotorua, which means carnival rides for the evening and some crafts for the day. Maddison got some wooden carvings and I snapped a few pictures. The clocks are changing tonight so 1 hour less in bed.

Rotorua Museum September 21st

We didn't travel far for today's adventure, just the museum. Being locals we didn't have to pay and saved $20 each (£10). As with all the museums we have been to here , it wa well set out and very informative. The first section was a history of the Maori people then 2 art galleries one with an exhibition on the Christchurch earthquake and the other on the memorial halls in each villages that were built in the 1950's. There was a picture of the Reporoa Memorial Hall and the kitchen, so I can go do my own copy of that! Downstairs there were the old Victorian mud baths, we had to wear hard hats as the ceilings were a little low!