To Auckland, New Zealand
We were all up and out of camp “early” to see the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland that we had skipped a few days ago. The Lady Knox geyser is scheduled, literally, to go off at 10:15 each morning. Because the natural eruption schedule is variable and is on the order of two to three days, they induce it to go off each day by pouring what is effectively detergent into the top of the small, rocky cone. After a few minutes, foam starts rising from the top, eventually spilling down the side and finally shooting forcefully into the air.
The Champagne Pool and Devil’s Bath (Dex and Kylie suggested that the Witches Cauldron would be a much better name) were much prettier than the watery mud pools and steaming vents. The bright green Devil’s Bath pool gets its crazy green color from high concentrations of sulfur, while the orange deposits around the edge off the super heated Champagne Pool come from the high concentration of arsenic and antimony combined with lots and lots of sulfur.
After almost two weeks, it was once again time to say goodbye to our good friends. This one was a little harder as we don't have another firm date to meet up again. But, with luck, our paths will cross again in the future, on yet another continent. Their next big stop will be French Polynesia, while we will be off to Chile in just a couple days.
In the meantime, we'll get a couple days to visit friends in Auckland -- Sharon and Steve. I first met Sharon in Kenya in 1994 on a camping safari tour. We stayed in touch, and I was able to visit her and Steve back in ‘97. Three and half hours after leaving Waiotapu, we pulled into their driveway. They met us in the drive and immediately set to work making us feel at home. Dinner was absolutely fantastic and Steve completely outdid himself -- mussels, sausage and some of the best salmon I've ever had.
After weeks in our van, it was nice to settle into their immaculate house. Alex, their four and a half year old daughter, soon warmed up to us letting us share a bit of their home life.
Where ever you all go, you seem to be like 'just like my Michael', so laid back, and just a truly human experience. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, that you are able to do this. Heck, this is why we travel too, although not as grandoise as you all.
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