TAUPO

Lake Taupo is slap bang in the middle of North Island and is New Zealand's largest lake. It's a very popular tourist attraction for both Kiwis and foreigners. The lake  was largely formed 1800 years ago when the Taupo Volcano erupted. Ash was ejected so high into the atmosphere that it was carried around the world: the Chinese noted a blackening of the sky and Romans reported that the heavens turned blood-red! Fortunately nothing so dramatic happened during our stay.

Cruising the lake.

While Steve went on a fishing trip Sue went on a 2 hour cruise around the lake, aboard the 'Ernest Kemp', a replica 1920s steamboat.

 

It leaves Taupo Boat Harbour, with free tea and coffee on offer as well as a very informative commentary given by the skipper.

Didn't see the sea-plane take off that day but we did see it flying over Taupo the next day.

Sue had toyed with the idea of taking the cruise offered by the 'Barbary', a 1926 ketch once owned by the film star Erroll Flynn (who allegedly won it in a card game), but she chickened out at the possibility of having to help with the sails. It did look a very relaxing way to travel, though, as it passed the 'Ernest Kemp'.

Along the shore -line there are numerous acacia trees, now regarded as somewhat of a pest as they grow so fast and so densely, but originally planted to facilitate the tanneries that lined the lake.

When Sue returned Steve was waiting with a big smile on his face and claims of having caught 8 trout, not counting the ones that got away! The photo proves he caught at least one. There'd been only one other taker for the fishing trip that morning, Megan from Arkansas, and between them they caught 3 big trout. Later that evening Megan, Steve and Sue barbequed them. They were delicious!!

Fishing on Lake Taupo

New Zealand's fishing rules dictate that trout can't be sold so if you want to eat one you have to catch it! The rivers flowing into Lake Taupo are the preserve of fly-fishers, and we saw these enthusiasts aiming to take advantage of the movement of mature trout at this time at the mouth of the river making their way upstream to spawn.

Just across the road from these anglers (who seemed to be catching nothing) we crossed a little wooden bridge over the river........

...and saw many mature trout.

This was a really beautiful spot. We fell into conversation with a couple from Iowa. They had lived and worked in Auckland for 10 years before returning to the USA, but, now retired, so  loved New Zealand they visited annually. They had fished in the past at this exact spot.

They offered to take our photo. Steve has plans on coming back to this spot....

Huka Falls

Just outside Taupo, past a large Russian (!) helicopter offering flights, is Huka Falls. The name in Maori  means 'great body of spray'. The water falls only a short drop but at 400 tonnes of water a second it is a truly awesome sight.

Click to see a video of Huka Falls:

Seafood platters in Taupo

On our second, and final, night in Taupo we had the dilemma of where to eat? Turning the corner from our motel we couldn't believe we were looking at a mock-Tudor English pub/restaurant. In fact, the 'Crooked Door', complete with beams and toby jugs, is only 9 years old.

It's a seafood restaurant so we couldn't resist the seafood platter on offer.....

Kiwis don't do small portions, as you can see. We did our best, but, having at first declined, we had to accept the waitress's offer to box-up for us what we couldn't manage to eat. We didn't feel so bad when she told us that empty plates are a rarity. One man infamously comes from Auckland once a year and finishes a whole platter (intended for 2) on his own, and a lone woman had recently managed 3/4!

There was one other couple similarly struggling, so on our way out we stopped to speak to them, only to discover they were from Normandy. Small world! A mixture of English, French and sign language, and the traditional kisses goodbye ensued.

Our Motor Lodge in Taupo

We don't make a habit of showing where we stay BUT the Lodge in Taupo merits special mention. It was located on the edge of the lake at a beach called Hot Water Beach because it was heated by underground thermal activity.  Slightly disturbing was the hot ground floors in the Lodge - caused by thermal activity.  We were told when we booked in to leave the air-conditionning on - in case the room got too hot!!!  

Outside there was a plunge pool, with geo-thermally-heated spring water, for our use. 

AND in our room was a pink spa-bath (very 1970s!!), again geo-thermally-heated. Just right for some bubbles and a glass, or 2, of champers.

The Rest is Censored!!