Wellington via Taupo to Rotorua

I was just thankful to wake up and find I was standing on firm ground....the room had not shifted and the glass was not broken.  While I was not waking up in Christchurch this morning I was in Wellington - and it just happens to be more infamous for earthquakes than Christchurch.  So let me try and put that whole episode behind me....but it may take a few days.

I leave Wellington in the rain...just past the ferry that brought me here yesterday....also 2 cruise ships docked this morning....so it is a good day to be on the move out of the city.  That journey today took me across the Himatangi Plains....more sheep....more cattle....more deer.....you have the drill I will save you from seeing more sheep pictures till later...and believe me you must come back to the Blog for those.

I tried for over 30 minutes to get a good shot of the volcanic cone of Mt. Ruapehu....weather and clouds just did not cooperate.  This baby erupts now and then....nothing disastrous just a spewing to show you who is boss....no it did not erupt while I was in the area....

Oh well...but I did find the calcification of this rock an interesting photo.  I was entering an area of thermal springs...I mean a lot of thermal springs...spas....baths...and a thermo-electric power system from steam!!

As we progressed toward Rotorua Lake Taupo....beautiful....

Just before we got to Rotorua we made a quick stop at Huka Falls.....just as we arrived one of the jet boats took a group of tourists...not me.....down these rapids....

I was the smart boy...here I am with the falls at my back...

As we enter Rotorua...which by the way is the center for the Maori culture (Maori were first settlers to New Zealand and have huge presence and historic  importance)....a para-sail comes up over the lake....

Now a couple fun pics to end my day .... the first is dedicated to my friends at DC3 in Washington DC....they are the hot dog gurus of 8th Street SE.....Drew and Ty....this is a real DC3 restaurant....(McDonalds..BTW)....

Maybe someone in Washington will give Drew or Ty the blog address and they can follow along...and also tell Ty what he missed by not giving me that DC3 cap to model around the World!!!!

Okay....finally...I so want the District of Columbia to adopt this policy....may not be a bad idea for metro either....

BTW....the streets are clean....must have had some effect!!!