Kia ora (hello) from Tauranga!
A scenic drive through kiwi fruit orchards of Te Puke (kiwi capital of the world) begins the day as we travel to the spa town of Rotorua
Livestock, namely cattle and sheep are also farmed
First stop is at Wai-O-Tapu ("Sacred Waters") Thermal Wonderland
Lady Knox Geyser
Video of Lady Knox Geyser
Artist's Palette
More thermal wonders
More thermal wonders
Leaving the unspoiled beauty of the reserve behind ~ onto Skyline Gondola up the side of Mount Ngongotaha with views of Lake Rotorua and Mokoia Island
Video ~ a young local Maori woman tells the story of Rotorua's famous romance of forbidden lovers, a high-ranking Maori maiden, Hinemoa and Tutanekai, the illegitimate son of a Mokoia Island family
A visit to Rainbow Springs, New Zealand's original nature park
The kiwi, New Zealand's national bird
Collection of Rainbow Trout
Variety of birds
"Matawai"
This 1.8 ton pounamu (greenstone) was found in 2004 by 16 year old Te Koharaki Mason who was searching the headwaters of the Waitaiki Stream with her Aunt. Her Aunt asked her to look closely at the whitish boulder below a small waterfall. As a result of finding, the pounamu was named Matawai meaning "to look closely". Literally, the name means "eyes" (mata), "water" (wai), and is derived from shortsightedness referred to by old Maori as "weeping eyes"
(PS....Karen here is the beautiful greenstone you talked about!)
Sacred fresh water spring filtered 50 + years through underground layer of volcanic rock
The most unique "souvenir" from Tauranga
(This one's for you, Rebecca!)
The most unique "souvenir" from Tauranga
(This one's for you, Rebecca!)
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