New Zealand - Wairakei

First up on the agenda was a trip out to the buried village. Previously a tourist hotspot, the village was destroyed by a volcanic eruption nearly 120 years ago. The main attraction at the time were pink and white terraces along Lake Rotorua. New Zealand’s greatest natural disaster; the eruption destroyed the terraces and buried the village. Only in the last twenty years has much of the village been uncovered.

Trekking through the village, you can see where ground level once was compared to where it is currently situated. Looking at the village is a reminder of the power of nature. An eruption that can create so much damage also regenerates an abundance of life. The soil becomes nutrient rich and a feeding ground for many different flora. A natural cycle that has been in effect for millions of years. It’s impressive to me that a single species can disrupt a balance so easily, and a reminder of the immense power that we harness. Hopefully, now that we realize we have that power, we can use it to maintain what the earth has done so well for millions of years.

After the village, we headed towards Lake Taupo. Huka Falls was not the tallest waterfall I’ve ever seen, but it was certainly one of the more powerful. Approximately 60,000 gallons of water tumble over the cliff every second. The water is a beautiful azure similar to the waters I saw in Alaska.

In the same park is a section called Craters of the Moon. Unlike other geothermic areas that I see, there weren’t many pools. The land has a multitude of craters from which smoky white pillars of steam form. If it weren’t for New Zealand’s lush landscape, you might actually be able to picture it as a face of the moon. Instead, from a distance it looks like a series of mini forest fires from which plumes of smoke sprout. The steam vents are cool and make distinctive roaring sounds (maybe like that of a dragon).

We finished up at the park around three and started for a long trek towards Palmerston North. I heard on the radio today that they had to suspend ferry service through Cooks Straight due to 7 metre swells. We aren’t due to cross the straight till Friday, so here’s to hoping we have some good weather on our side.