Water, water everywhere...and quite enough to drink

We had the great good fortune to spend the weekend at the Lake Taupo cottage of David and Margaret Woodbridge (yup, this is the THIRD house of theirs we have stayed at, if anyone is counting--such generous friends!). This three bedroom 'bach' (the NZ word for cottage) overlooks the river that runs into Lake Taupo. In perfect cottage style, Waihinau is gleaming white, accented by cheerful lime green, turquoise, red, and ultramarine blue decor--so bright and welcoming! It has wonderful views of boats and waterside reeds, and a resident black swan who objects to being photographed!.
We spent Friday afternoon enjoying the view and throwing sticks into the water for Daisy, the Woodbridge's dog--nice action shot, eh?
That evening, we had a fabulous BBQ dinner on the spacious deck, ably cooked by the Woodbridge's son Chris and his lovely Norwegian girlfriend Mari, Margaret, and her sister Heather, who was also visiting. We all enjoyed the ample wine and beer on hand, and by 1 a.m. I do believe that we had solved almost all of the world's problems--or at least it seemed so at the time!

Nevertheless, we arose bright-eyed the next morning, and David took us to see nearby Huka Falls, where we watched the antics of the jetboat tour.


Next, we viewed the thermal generating plant where electricity is generated from the naturally occurring steam venting out of the earth in this area. New Zealand is, above all, a volcanically active island.

Further evidence of this activity was found at The Craters of the Moon, a local thermal vent area. Viewing this huge area was truly a magical experience--it was both beautiful and eerie to see, hear, feel, and smell (sulphur) the heat bursting up out of the earth's surface. For the first time, I really felt that I lived on a thin skin over a molten core!



While we were viewing these wonders, others were not idle. By early afternoon, Chris and Margaret had retrieved the Woodbridge's boat from the repair shop, and had it in the water. Margaret, Mari, and Heather had also packed a fabulous picnic lunch, and off we set to be shown the wonders of Lake Taupo. First stop was the site of these cool Maori carvings. The water was unusually still, so we were able to get in really close.
Across the lake we sped, wind in our hair...


...into this lovely sheltered harbour for our picnic, and a little fishing. David doesn't look too happy that the fish weren't biting, but I was perfectly happy to have the BBQ'd sausages, chicken, and all the other goodies that appeared.

At another spot we saw this picturesque waterfall.


And lingered to watch a cormorant (shag) gulp a fish nearly as big as he was in this limpid lagoon. No, I am NOT adjusting these colours in Photoshop!



At our final stop, we were delighted to catch this wedding photo session on the pretty arched bridge at Kinloch--compliments to the clever person who planted the perfect weeping willow alongside! As the afternoon drew to a close, we hurried back under darkening clouds, the lake shining like a mirror. What a memorable day!



Saturday night we went out to dinner at a local pub, The Mole and Chicken, with the whole crew plus Margaret and Heather's brother and his wife. The meal was excellent, but when it came time for dessert, I couldn't choose between Banoffee Pie and Sticky Toffee Pudding (both great favourites when in England), so our waiter kindly arranged for me to have 1/2 of each--and I was so glad I did! Both were SOOO good. We rolled home more than content with our lot in life.

Sunday brought more watery delights. Margaret drove us to see the release of the water through the Aratiatia Dam. At precisely 10:00 a.m., the flood gates opened and the previously still pool across the road turned into raging rapids-very cool to watch! As everywhere in NZ, the water was crystal clear and a gorgeous shade of turquoise. After about 20 minutes, the gates closed and the river slowly returned to 'normal.' You can see the change in level marked by the dark high water line on the rocks in the picture below. Very dramatic! Frank and Margaret were certainly interested...



For a final treat, Margaret took us to a local art shop and cafe where the owner has created a world of mosaic. At the front gate we were greeted by this little porker--he reminded me so much of Pumbah, the boar in The Lion King!

It was such fun to sit in the mosaic couches and chairs, beside a mosaic fireplace, with a mosaic lamp nearby! We also had a yummy slice of carrot cake and Frank's first 'flat white' of the day.

What a perfect ending to a great weekend. Thank you again, Margaret and David!

By midday we had bidden the Woodbridge family a reluctant goodbye and were heading north to our next accommodation, the beach house at Whangamata. Tune in to our next posting, dear readers, for details!