Wai-o-Tapu: this crazy Earth we live in

The next day we headed further north still to Rotorua, one of New Zealand's most famous areas. On the way we stopped at another geothermal field - Wai-o-Tapu - where there is a staggering 17km square area of thermal pools, mud pools, and weird hot springs made odd colours by the high content of various chemicals, including sulphur. Their star attraction is Lady Knox Geyser, a rather boring looking thing that looks a bit like a miniature volcano.

It sits upon an underground pool of cold water that itself sits on a pool of hot water. When the pressure gets great enough the water mixes causing the geyser to shoot water into the air - sometimes as high as 20 metres. Of course, this being organised New Zealand, it was figured out (by accident) some years ago that the surface tension can be broken by putting soap into the crater and an "eruption" can be generated. So, of course, they do this at 10.15am every day (its natural blow cycle is about 2-3 days).

We all sat curiously around the geyser while the soap was added. It started bubbling over with foam almost immediately and took about 5-10 minutes to get going, and then suddenly the water was spurting out of the top between about 4-8 metres tall. Bonkers.

Lady Knox Geyser

The rest of the area is just crazy. Huge bright yellow lakes with translucent water lapping at rocks stained red and orange by the chemicals. Bubbling mud pools with the gurgling sounds of babies blowing bubbles. Even the moss and foliage is stained bright orange by chemicals that interfere with the chlorophyll in the plants. All in all we have never seen anything like it and makes you wonder in awe at nature.


You think you've seen everything in New Zealand and then you travel 50 kms and it surprises you all over again!