easter break day trip ..couple of pics to share

**carole** · 04-14-2009, 10:58 PM

We headed off to Taupo on Tuesday, hubby had taken an extra day off work so we decided to go there and see my best friend who now lives there.

Taupo is surrounded by a beautiful lake and snow-capped mountains in the winter, it is a very special place to me, as i used to go there as a child to stay with my adopted auntie, in fact it was the first place my parents settled when arriving from Scotland 51 years ago, it was not the place it is now,however it is now a top tourist spot in NZ.

I love the place and it is only about a two hour drive from my city,the pics don't really do it justice as it was a little overcast when i took them,and the lake is usually a striking blue,the mountains in the background are volcanoes, Mt Ruapehu,and yes it is a live volcanoe.

Had a great day all in all, and just wanted to share some of my lovely country with you all. Enjoy

**Casper** · 04-15-2009, 04:58 PM

Oh wow, that looks like such a pretty place! If the pictures don't even do it justice, I can only imagine how pretty it must be in person.

I now know to put Taupo on the list of places to go if I ever visit New Zealand.

Thanks for sharing, I am glad you had a great time.

**carole** · 04-15-2009, 08:58 PM

Yes can you imagine it on a beautiful sunny winter day with the snow capped mountains in the background, simply stunning i can tell you, yep a must place to go if you ever come to Aotearoa aka as New Zealand,lots to do and see, not too far from the ski fields either.,glad you enjoyed seeing a little piece of our paradise.

**davidpizzica** · 04-16-2009, 02:21 PM

Oh, Sis! What a beautiful area in a beautiful country! I wish I had the money to go out and visit you there!

**phesina** · 04-16-2009, 04:59 PM

Utterly lovely! What a nice little vacation for you to take!

**carole** · 04-16-2009, 05:14 PM

Yes it is just one of our many glorious scenic places to visit, and honestly those pictures did not do that place justice,hopefully i will travel down there again in winter and take some with the snow capped mountains.

Yes David i think you would be quite smitten with our little piece of paradise, you never really appreciate your own, but so many people love NZ.

**Laura's Babies** · 04-16-2009, 09:01 PM

WOW! That is a stunning spot to visit! Beautiful pictures!

**carole** · 04-16-2009, 10:46 PM

I have added these pics, obviously not taken by me, but the first pic is the kind of picture i would be able to get in winter time, Taupo is geo thermal.so you can expect to see lots of geysers..craters,hot steam

second picture is of the shopping area across from the lake, with many eateries ,we had lunch there.

Third picture is craters of the moon, which is about 9kms out of Taupo city, in a place called wairakei pronounced (why rack e).

There is another very special place to visit 25 mins north of Taupo ,orakei korako (o rack e co ruck o)called the hidden valley,the meaning of this place is the place adorning, a geyserland and cave,i went there some years back, you have to take a little boat across the water to it, it is amazing, well worth the trip, there is a cafe there and accommodation too on the opposite side., all of this within two hours drive away from my home..almost like another world ,with gushing geysers,hot springs,boiling mud pools and some of the biggest silica terraces in the world.,personally i think it is a little piece of magic.

This is a picture of some of it, you can see the boardwalk that you can walk across the geothermal wonderland.

Hope you all enjoy.

**Killearn Kitties** · 04-17-2009, 05:21 AM

What a beautiful place, Carole. It looks just perfect for a break.

**RICHARD** · 04-17-2009, 01:46 PM

How many rooms are there in your house?

Or, I can live in your garage.

**phesina** · 04-17-2009, 07:26 PM

Amazing!. Those sights are breathtakingly beautiful.

**carole** · 04-18-2009, 07:36 PM

Ha Richard you can have the old caravan on the property if you like amongst all our bits and bobs we store in there, i think there is still a bed in there,i think you might call it a 1 star or below accommodation, but hey you are a real man aren't you? so you won't mind roughing it, you will have some spiders for company i am sure lol.

Glad you all enjoyed seeing a little part of down under,and that is just the beginning so many other lovely places to explore.