Years ago a prison had been set up in this area to harvest the numerous trees growing all around. The work was hot and dirty and the prisoners had learnt to wash in the natural hot springs that they had discovered in the area. One day, so the story goes, one of them had arrived complete with soap to wash with. As they had lathered up, the soap had seeped into the mouth of one of the geysers and 4 minutes later a huge eruption of boiling water had rushed from the ground frightening everyone in sight.
Years later this phenomenon had been harnessed and each day, at precisely 10.15, 300g of natural, environmentally friendly soap flakes are dropped into the opening known as the Lady Knox Geyser.
Stones have been piled around the opening with the naturally forming line scale cementing them into place.
As the gathered audience waits, bubbles appear from the mouth of the geyser as the surface tension deep below is broken by the soap.
Boiling hot water is suddenly mixes with the cooler water held in a natural reservoir above, the pressure grows until an eruption of hot steam filled water shoots up to 20m into the sky.
For the next hour the steam and water vapour is forced out at varying heights, covering the area in a warm mist of sulphuric smelling moisture.
As the geyser died down and the crowd dispersed we returned to the van, noticing another 'Wicked' traveller parked in the area.
We noted how our two discreetly camouflaged vans blended in well with the greenery before we drove the 1k back to the main centre.
Back at the Park we were issued with a map that was removed from me as soon as possible and put into the hands of the only person with a sense of direction. Cian!!
We followed as he explained where we were heading,
we followed as he pointed out things written about in his brochure.
English lessons were carried out as he read and described the points of interest written on the boards that marked our path.
we gazed in astonishment at the views as we passed!
Science lessons followed English lessons as chemicals colourations were examined and photographed.
This place was truly amazing!
We walked across pools of boiling, bubbling water,
We gazed into deep smouldering caves full of sulphuric steam,
We wandered with the many others and learnt about the thermal power station in the distance,
We took pamarmamic shots of earth crust movements,
we learnt about mineral compositions,
water tables,
sinter flats
insect life,
and so much more.
We walked beneath trees that towered into the sky.
We stood on view points that looked out over tiny sulphurous waterfalls.
We met people from the U.S. A. with great hats!!
Our tour around the Wai-O-Tapou Wonderland park had been one of great discovery.
We had seen things that others back in Wales would only ever see in books.
The sun had come out and New Zealand had taken on a magic that had only been words of description or glimpsed on T.V. before today.
With regret we piled back into our van, and having consulted the map, we set off for Hukka falls another place of natural beauty according to the book.
In the designated car park we parked next to another discreetly decorated van,
Spying some more art work from a rival company across the parking bays.
The sound of gushing water did little to prepare us for the ferociousness of these falls.
Once again Cian's reading lessons consisted of reading out the information boards to us and describing what they said in his own words!
Five Olympic swimming pools worth of water cascade over these falls every SECOND!! Boats and people foolish enough to have tried to pass through the gorge have all perished.
Boat trips will bring you to the base of the falls for a price, their powerful engines racing against the current as they work their way ever closer to the thunderous waters. Once they reach the spray misted edges they turn and are carried back to whence they came at tremendous speed as current joins with engines to propel them down stream.
The air was cooler here as winds were carried up the embankment by the force of the water. We returned to the van leaving a note on our Wicked neighbours wind screen wishing them a happy trip!
We drove the 2k to the spacious view point over looking Lake Taupo only to be joined by the other 'Wicked' van a few moments later. We exchange some information, they cracked open a few beers, I was foolishly passed the map and we were off again.
8 minutes later we returned to the View point, waved once more to the travellers from the other 'Wicked' van and tried again! This map reading stuff was extremely complicated when given a choice of THREE roads!!!
The road was found that took us back towards the coast at Napier. Smaller falls punctuated the scenery and allowed for refuelling snacks to be prepared in the back of the van.
Refilled with both food and a little further down the road, fuel, Peter headed for
the coast on the only road available on the map, pleasantly surprised at the capabilities of the van as we raced back down the mountain side towards our destination!
At Napier it was decided that we should keep going and so the adventure to Wellington continued................
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