nz day 13: rotorua and thermal parks

We were so sore from our hike the previous day that we chose a nice, easy activity...walking around a thermal park near Rotorua. 

Nathan's journal entry: "We got around a bit late in the morning and went to check out the farmer's market, so we were too late to book our rafting adventure [the one with the 21 foot drop], or any other adventures, so we picked out a thermal springs park to visit."

The dumb look was intentional... for once.

Several of the mud pits around the park are from fairly recent (1960s) cave-ins.

Kristin's journal entry: "Today, we woke up late and lounged around some more.  When we finally got around, we decided to go check out a thermal park just outside of town.  It was really nice - lots of colors and variety in a really small space.  I was walking like an old lady, so it took us forever to get through it.  We really enjoyed it, though."

 Kristin told Nathan to pose for the photo here.  This is the pose he chose.

The orange rim of the Champagne Pool is petrified, and the orange color comes from arsenic and antimony.

The Champagne Pool is always bubbling... hence the name.

Many of the springs and mud pools were a bit low from lack of rain.

These two ducks were enjoying their solitude.

Nathan's journal entry: "We drove down to Wai-o-Tapu (the Waimangu Volcanic Valley also looked good but less colorful).  It was a nice little park that probably seemed bigger than it was since we were walking a bit slower than normal.  The most impressive features were the Champagne Pool (that constantly bubbles, has an orange petrified rim, and is 62 meters deep) and the Devil's Bathtub.  The bathtub pool was a really odd color of green, but it changes between green and yellow depending on cloud cover and lighting."

Even on a semi-sweltering hot day, the pool is steamy.

The Devil's Bathtub varies from yellow to green depending on cloud cover and lighting.

Kristin's journal entry: "We ate dinner at Fat Dog Cafe.  Nathan's hamburger could have come straight out of a Dr. Suess book."

 Very serious waiting for his burger...

That's a miniature salad, two half pound hamburgers, plenty of cheese, an egg, a roasted tomato, a few onion rings, about an entire beet (New Zealand thing), and sauce on a pretty big bun.

I could only bring myself to finish about half the beet and a quarter of the tomato, but that's just because I don't like them.

Nathan's journal entry: "We ate dinner at the Fat Dog where I got a hamburger nearly the size of my face (tall!).  I took off quite a bit of the toppings, but it was still huge.  Then we returned to our room for more relaxation."