Wet 'n' Wild Waikite
(2nd - 3rd January)
With a renewed respect for the natures NZ has to offer, we headed from Taupo to some hot springs in Waikite, which were between Taupo and Rotorua. The hot springs were home to several natural thermal pools, with a campsite next door. We decided to stay at the campsite for the night as then we'd get free entry. We're so glad we did - the pools were great. Although it's summer, they weren't too crowded. However, because it is summer, the pools were hotter than they'd usually be and we couldn't stomach some of them for long.
They have a boiling stream running alongside the pools, and nearby is a hot spring which Chris and I took a walk to see. It was an awesome sight, all this naturally hot water just erupting from the ground. I can easily see how someone would do themselves an injury in it. They take this water and cool it down through various processes. Beforehand, the water is around 98 degrees (C), by the time it reaches the pools it's cooled to between 35-39 degrees. As it was such a sunny day, the pools were a couple of degrees warmer than they would usually be and we found ourselves seeking shade as much as we could.
It was a really relaxing way to spend an afternoon though, and the surrounding views were great. This is one of the highlights of my trip so far. Unfortunately we couldn't camp for a 2nd night as they were fully booked, so we headed off to Rotorua instead.
With a renewed respect for the natures NZ has to offer, we headed from Taupo to some hot springs in Waikite, which were between Taupo and Rotorua. The hot springs were home to several natural thermal pools, with a campsite next door. We decided to stay at the campsite for the night as then we'd get free entry. We're so glad we did - the pools were great. Although it's summer, they weren't too crowded. However, because it is summer, the pools were hotter than they'd usually be and we couldn't stomach some of them for long.
They have a boiling stream running alongside the pools, and nearby is a hot spring which Chris and I took a walk to see. It was an awesome sight, all this naturally hot water just erupting from the ground. I can easily see how someone would do themselves an injury in it. They take this water and cool it down through various processes. Beforehand, the water is around 98 degrees (C), by the time it reaches the pools it's cooled to between 35-39 degrees. As it was such a sunny day, the pools were a couple of degrees warmer than they would usually be and we found ourselves seeking shade as much as we could.
It was a really relaxing way to spend an afternoon though, and the surrounding views were great. This is one of the highlights of my trip so far. Unfortunately we couldn't camp for a 2nd night as they were fully booked, so we headed off to Rotorua instead.
posted by wobblepop at 2:45 am
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