|
|
|---|
|
|
|
I took several pictures of the Criterion before we left. This was a fortunate choice since this backpackers was the best one we stayed in on the North Island of New Zealand. The windows were arched and beautiful. The kitchen was large and clean. The owners cheery and helpful. The bathrooms large and clean. The showers modern, clean, and warm. The place was... CLEAN. It's hard to explain how important this is until you've been in a couple of places that are dirty sties. Here is a picture of our room in the Berkenhoff lodge, which was quite less nice than the Criterion, but larger. We maintained a healthy sense of enthusiasm as we were in Taupo, and were ready for a great few days! Here were some common areas at the Berkenhoff lodge. Notice the red flag? It is exactly like the New Zealand flag except with a red field in the background, instead of blue. This is apparently the naval version of the flag, so that it shows up on the blue water better. These are some pictures of the Super Loo in Taupo. It's important to understand that one of the more important features of Lake Taupo is the Super Loo. Here are some various pictures of Lake Taupo. This was the day that Fenny and I were to take a sailing trip on the lake. Here are some pictures of Fenny and I on the Barbary, which is the sailing vessel owned by one Barbary Bill. The literature says he's a local legend with a tale for every situation, but mostly he was just a normal granddad with a sailboat named Barbary. Fenny and I found the shade of the sail and settled in. Barbary Bill is the older gentleman with the hat and the white shirt and the beard. This is me, checking out you. Here is a plane that does tours 'round lake Taupo. As we did the cost for enjoyment ratios of various activities, we actually realised that skydiving might be the best. See, we rationalised that first you get on a plane and look at the Taupo area, then you jump out (like bungee jumping!) then you hang by a parachute for a couple of minutes (like parasailing), then finally land. Therefore, for $200 per person, you get the $60 bungee jump, the $60 parasail, and the $60 Lake Taupo tour, all for a little bit less than the individual activities. This turned out to be a good investment. Skydiving is a real trip. I recommend it if you can handle the quick pressure change (ear pressure equalising should not be something you have a hard time doing). And Barbary Bill takes us out onto the lake! These two Danish girls and their Hong Kong male friend were the life of the cruise. They were quite talkative and personable, and quickly got on the good side of Barbary Bill who began speaking Danish idioms to them. As you can tell, Fenny and I were going sailing. The whole point of this cruise was, after all, to see some strange rock carvings done in the ancient times by Maori tribesmen. 1970, I think it was. Here, the rock carving is just coming into view. Here are about 30 different views of the 'ancient' rock carvings from the 1970's. Enjoy. I kind of like the idea of a country that is supposed to be for tourists basically inventing a culture and a heritage in the last 20 some years, and selling the tourists on it. Here are the Danish girls that were the life of the cruise this day. This was before and after a swim that most of the sailors took. Some of the beautiful Lake Taupo scenery. These are some pretty beautiful pictures taken after the cruise was over and the boat was in dock. These are actually some of my favourite photographs of the Lake Taupo area, and they really have nothing to do with Lake Taupo in particular. Fenny! Fish! Holy Cow! Fenny and I try to get our hands around the big Lake Taupo Fish which the locals fondly refer to as... well... actually, I don't think the locals ever referred to this fish. I guess it's just one of those bits of cultural heritage invented by the New Zealanders to get tourists to come by. Worked on us. This was a beautiful yellow tree outside the local supermarket. |
|
|
