Around Taupo

During our lengthy stay in Turangi, we took several longer distance trips to see interesting sights.

Let's start with some smelly places. Like the Rotorua district, Tokaanu had it's share of misty hot water ponds, bubbling mud and sulphur terraces:

The military museum at Waiouru was first class, with lots of equipment displays, tableau depicting military life, campaign details, and so on:

Ruapehu appear again!

I didn't know until seeing this museum that New Zealand cavalry were also in the victorious charge at Beersheba, alongside the Australian light horse - with their sizeable contingent from my home (Armidale) district. I look forward to seeing the re-enactment at Beersheba on 31 October 2017 -to which I have been invited.

And we took a special trip to Taupo to see some Maori rock art. Before describing this aspect of our travels, I'd just like to say that Taupo was a nice place: not too big; good services; interesting events and landscapes; and so on. Have a look. Art in the park

Long-distance swimming competition.

Our boat - much nicer than modern craft.

Crowds of boats in the harbour.

Attended by black swans. English readers would only be familiar with the white variety, but black ones certainly exist .... although I was not aware they had migrated to NZ until this trip.

Some of the rock art was more traditional than other bits. The nude ... on the left of this group doesn't look traditional Maori and I didn't know that NZ has crocodiles!

Oh and this is Flynn's house. Em could you please draw Flynn's attention this mansion he presumably owns ... unless, of course, it belonged to his namesake, Errol Flynn.

The piece de resistance was this escapade of Bec and Max's. They'd heard of a place called rocknrope, which I presumed was all about climbing cliff faces. Wee, not quite. Have a look at these pictures. I must congratulate Max for handling some of this equipment:

Kitted out and the equipment to use.

Receiving instructions .. and Max to his credit was first to climb the pole.

Max takes off gingerly ... wouldn't you and walks the tightrope high above the ground.

The same with the segmented walkway - but look how high it is!

Being lowered on the end of a rope after the walk. Now walking the plank ... well, not quite. Let's say log. again, Max is a long way up.

And Bec flies through spae on a trapeze. She leapt from the top of the pole to catch the bar, and was fortunately successful. Max couldn't bring himself to do it!

Bec flying through space at the end of a rope, while Max took a ride onn his favourite piece of equipment ... the flying fox. This was a VERY long one.




So, this holiday marked a long list of firsts!

AS