Wai-O-Tapu park had a totally different feel to Te Puia - you felt like you were in a natural area rather than one that had been organised for tourists. You also got much closer to the geothermal activity (I managed to burn my foot at the edge of a hot spring - don't worry I'm okay though!) You actually got the impression that being here was yes slightly dangerous as the area is still active and unstable! I loved the champagne pools and spent ages trying to get a good photo of the mud pools in eruption.
This is New Zealand. This is unique to here. This is the one thing I now know I couldn't have missed because you can't see it anywhere else but here.
Next on our list was Te Whaka... (for short) geothermal village. An active, living Maori village, this was fascinating in a different way. Yes there were springs and geysers (and they were deep and fantastic) but we also learned much more about the Maoir culture. I also ate some corn cooked in a hot spring, yummy and tender!
We ate dinner by the lake and watched the swans for ages. We debated over whether or not to go to the Polynesian Spa and I had no swimsuit, but eventually I went and bought a very cheap and ugly (think the guys with flippers out of Mama Mia) bikini. We hadn't seen the spa as a big thing to do but were we wrong! The spa was incredibile - just like a jacquisi with natural mineral water but outdoors and being able to walk about in a bikini at night. it's like what we had seen over the past few days put into action. We watched the sunset there while soaking and relaxing. My pores felt fantastic and I felt stress-free. I'm very glad we didn't skip that experience!
Nicole and I at the Polynesian Spa; me complete with dodgy swimsuit (notice it is both lemon yellow and seventies blue!)
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