New Zealand

Stopped off at a friend of a friends place in Tauranga.  We got a local knowledge tour and camped out in their driveway for the night. Thank you Paul and Christa. You were very kind hosts.

Then off again. We gather no moss.

The middle of the north island is a very active geothermal area. We did a stretch of road called the Thermal Explorer Highway. The views were spectacular. And to many steam vents and sites to even count. One particular park has, what it calls, the youngest geothermal area in the world. This one started up in the late 1800s. Before that there was no activity in the area. It claims to be the only spot like it in the world that can trace its origins to the exact day that it formed. And it is still forming and changing. Kind of scary actually. Makes you want to snap a photo and get the heck out of there. Many of the spots are named for people who were killed by eruptions or geysers run amuck. Including one entire family. Hard to get it on camera. The picture don’t really show how beautiful the features are.

And a couple of nice waterfalls along the way.

Caldera lake. Steaming and bubbling. Once in a while the steam would swirl up like a little tornado. Could not capture it on still photos.

Little steam vent right on the trail.

This pool changes colors as the chemical composition of the water changes. We caught it on a day when it was sky blue. Looked like a swimming pool. It rises and falls several meters cyclically. And no, I don't know whats wrong with her hair. It just does than sometimes. Scares me!

Looks fake but it really is that color.

Then the surprise for the day. Tooling along I see a sign for a car museum. A row of beat up tin sheds. Place is run by an old eccentric fellow named Ian. Nice guy. In the sheds are over 400 cars. "Count them if you want." All British. Most stacked up like cordwood. You can imagine the smell. Gas, oil, burned up engine, old rubber, mold. I have some nice shots but this gives you a flavor of the place. Nothing is for sale. "I'm a buyer not a seller" says Ian. He has an old hearse in the pile there somewhere. And in the hearse is the casket he is to be buried in. Which I think will not be long now. Not kidding. He says 80% of them run. I think he added a zero. But it was an interesting stop off for sure.

Heading now to Wellington. The big city. Furthest place south. Once there we ferry down to the south island.

M