Hellish Holes

Rotorua - a town famous for its gassy excretions and steaming, bubbling pools of muddy slurry. You can smell the wafting hydrogen sulphide as you drive in, bad eggs seem to follow you where-ever you go.



We went for a wander through the local park, and were suddenly confronted by a great crater in the ground gurgling and boiling with clouds of steam issuing forth and dead vegetation recoiling from its noxious venting. Its just not the sort of thing you usually find in a well manicured park. The place was littered with thermal oddities, no two the same, all doing something bizarre and unusual and usually involving steam. It's definitely a place where geology gets interesting.



The town is not all about steaming pools. This is the old bath house, probably one of the most impressive buildings of New Zealand - and that even includes the Invercargill water tower!







The site has a rich Maori history.



But the attraction of thermal spa water is what keeps the tourist masses coming. Although why you would want to dangle your feet where thousands of others have just done so eluded us:



Still, our motel had a private spa pool for us to enjoy, no feet included...



Instead of a landscaped lake in the park, they went for a sulphurous mud flat:






Something to ponder on - just don't fall in:





Highlight of the visit though was the little known bathing spot near to the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Reserve, where a steaming hot stream mixes its waters with an icy cold one forming a natural basin of water of varying temperature. Completely free, and easy to find a spot at your ideal temperature, it was the best thing in the whole region. If you are heading that way, make sure you get advice on where to find it!





Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Reserve is a pretty dramatic sight. It has one of only 2 geysers in the region - although it needs a helping hand from some washing soda that the demonstrator pours into its mouth. Still, at least you can predict exactly when it's going to go!



And when it goes, it takes its time!



Also known for the famous 'Champagne Pool' - a 60m deep pool of water at over 70 degrees c, another one not to fall into!





The gorgeous 'Artist's Palette':



Steaming streams, fumaroles, and amazing mineral 'terraces':





And it wouldn't be complete without a sulphur lake:



And giant pool of bubbling mud:










No wonder this honey bee was confused about where the flowers were!