- News from Australia -

New Zealand - North Island

Off we go on our NZ trip.  The landcruiser we rented turned out to be in terrible condition,
so we got a free upgrade to a campervan. Not quite the same, but we soon got into it!

This is Mt Taranaki - we climbed from the Dawson Falls Centre up to the Kapuni Lodge.
Round trip about 4 hours... 

This is us sat on the Hilary Seat - you can see where we are on the map above

And at the Hooker shelter.... it is a long way up for someone 5 months gone!

Above the cloud at the Kapuni Lodge

Kapuni Lodge  (Oli and Pip wanted to climb up to the snowline!!)

Climbing the glacier moraine on the foothills of Taranaki

Later on in the trip we met up with Steve and Diana, Katie's uncle and aunt.
We are by the 'square Kauri' - a huge tree that is, actually, square(ish).

Here we are looking wistfully at the Tongariro Crossing

We took a chair lift ride up Mt Ruapehu

And went sliding down the snow channel on a rainmac.  Looked great fun... until you got snow up your back.

Here we are at Huka Falls.  Amazing huge waterfall.

This is Orakei Korakei (or something like that.)

Astonishing colours from the minerals

This is Waihi, a prosperous gold town.  Next to a mining truck...

This is the same sort of mining truck - in the middle of the picture.  Big mine.

Near to Waihi is the Karangahake Gorge, complete with disused railway tunnels to explore. Pitch black!

Picture taken in complete darkness (other than the flash!) of the kids

Glowworms abound in the caves (all over NZ but best at Waitomo)

Now at Hot Water Beach - underground thermal springs well up in the middle of the beach.

Its actually quite hard to get the temperature right... need to be in exactly the right spot...
the result is worth it, as you can see!

Time and tide wait for no man, or boy for that matter...

Next on the tour - Wai o Tapu.  Here we are taking a rest as we walk through the thermal park

Some of the sights in the park - this is the champagne pool

And here is the geyser (fed on time every day with a bar of soap to encourage it to flare up!)

Back at Lake Taupo for our last night, collecting pumice and feeding the swans.

Last sunset before we fly back to a very hot Australia.  What a lovely holiday.