My trip to Lake Taupo was simply fantastic. I stayed in a place called Little Waihi on the south side of the lake. Lake Taupo is a huge volcanic crater filled with water. You almost can't see the other side, it looks more like a sea. I got a motel room by the lake side and on Friday I just sat and watched the lake, read a bit, contemplated a bit. Due to the thermal activity in the area, there was steam coming out of the edge of the lake so that it looked as if the lake was boiling. There were ducks and a pair of beautiful black swans with red beaks. It was so peaceful, so serene. It was truly an unwinding.
On Saturday, I drove to the township of Taupo, 40 minutes away and went to Huka Falls again. Every time I see it it takes my breath away. All those tonnes of water gushing down the narrow gorge, and the water so clear, it is blue. The sound simply magical, roaring and gushing as if Nature is wishing to express herself. And when it reaches the wider part, the water just boils with the force, blue circles erupting in white spray. This time I decided to take the Huka Jet, a jetboat ride that travels up the Waikato River, making spins and whizzing past cliff faces on its way to the foot of the Huka Falls. It was simply beautiful.
The two other things I wanted to do, I couldn't because - whitewater rafting was closed for the winter and skydiving wasn't happening because it was too cloudy to skydive. Maybe next time.
It rained the whole of Saturday night and when I left the motel on Sunday morning it was still raining. I had planned to go to Mt.Raupehu on the way back but the rain had made visibility so bad that I couldn't even see the mountain on the drive back which is usually very clearly visible. But the drive was beautiful. The rain creating this constant raaga on the roof, sometimes thumri, sometimes dhrupad. And the air all misty and washed clean and pure, the raindrops forming ripples on little ponds. The grass so green stretching from the side of the road up into the hills, over slopes and dunes and valleys. The little streams flowing muddily and happily. And the leaves glistening with rain, little drops forming on the tips. And pastures polka-dotted with sheep and cows and horses. And the clouds clinging to the foothills rising as if aspiring for the sky. The countryside so beautiful and so verdant.
Yes, it was truly a memorable trip.
Photos at http://community.webshots.com/user/jollyjm
On Saturday, I drove to the township of Taupo, 40 minutes away and went to Huka Falls again. Every time I see it it takes my breath away. All those tonnes of water gushing down the narrow gorge, and the water so clear, it is blue. The sound simply magical, roaring and gushing as if Nature is wishing to express herself. And when it reaches the wider part, the water just boils with the force, blue circles erupting in white spray. This time I decided to take the Huka Jet, a jetboat ride that travels up the Waikato River, making spins and whizzing past cliff faces on its way to the foot of the Huka Falls. It was simply beautiful.
The two other things I wanted to do, I couldn't because - whitewater rafting was closed for the winter and skydiving wasn't happening because it was too cloudy to skydive. Maybe next time.
It rained the whole of Saturday night and when I left the motel on Sunday morning it was still raining. I had planned to go to Mt.Raupehu on the way back but the rain had made visibility so bad that I couldn't even see the mountain on the drive back which is usually very clearly visible. But the drive was beautiful. The rain creating this constant raaga on the roof, sometimes thumri, sometimes dhrupad. And the air all misty and washed clean and pure, the raindrops forming ripples on little ponds. The grass so green stretching from the side of the road up into the hills, over slopes and dunes and valleys. The little streams flowing muddily and happily. And the leaves glistening with rain, little drops forming on the tips. And pastures polka-dotted with sheep and cows and horses. And the clouds clinging to the foothills rising as if aspiring for the sky. The countryside so beautiful and so verdant.
Yes, it was truly a memorable trip.
Photos at http://community.webshots.com/user/jollyjm
