Diamond Geyser

March 24, 2005

After wandering through the Waitomo Museum of Caves, using the free ticket I got with the rafting, I caught a bus out to Rotorua, a highly active volcanic/geothermal area.
Arriving mid afternoon I didn't really have time for anything big so spent the afternoon wandering through the town and down to the lake front. Lake Rotorua was the second lake discovered in the area so was originally named Roto (lake) - rua (two).
This morning I caught a shuttle bus out to Wai-O-Tapu (Sacred Waters) one of the many thermal sites in the area. After a quick stop at a large pool of boiling mud we went on to see the Lady Knox Geyser.
Every day, at 10.15am, 300g of soap powder is poured into the geyser to break the surface tension and cause it to erupt. It would erupt on its own but this way it is controlled and allows everyone to see it erupting. Quite an impressive sight.
We were then left in Wai-O-Tapu for an hour or two to wander round the craters and pool at our leisure. All the minerals that have been dissolved by the water have caused some impressive colour schemes.
Then it was back to Rotorua where I took a few hours to explore the Museum of Art and History which was very interesting.
I was hoping to do some White Water Rafting today but the river was closed due to too much rain. It will be open tomorrow though...
...bring on tomorrow!