The underworld comes alive

Dear readers most of you in UK I am sorry you are freezing but it was 24C here yesterday. I am sorry I missed the only snow of the year. We had a full day visiting the places where earth became or is still alive. Waimangu Volcanic Valley has been created by a huge volcanic eruption in 1886. This crated an area with different forestation, a large lake where there was previously a tiny one, and left behind signs of sulphite depositions, rock formations, bubbling waters,active geygers in the lake. A great one and half hour walk

And a boat ready to take us in the large lake. New experiences with black swans imported from Australia, cormorants, a crater left from the exposion, geygers.

And then moved towards Hell's Gate but not before we discovered a real gem fish and chips the Owahata take away 551 Te Ngae Road, Ōwhata, Rotorua 3010. Go if u pass nearby. Fresh fish including snapper, tarakihi that we both had, mussels from Coromandel. Not greasy not heavy and great chips.

Then Hell's gate is where there is a lot of active energy escaping thin crust of earth creating bubbles, boiling lakes, mud baths, small geygers, volcanic muds.

A lot of the names, in this Maori owned now area, have been given by George Bernard Shaw. Names like devil, hell, sinner, baby's were prominent in the terminology used by the prominent and puritan writer that somehow stuck. We ll spare you our photographs in the mud baths since even rings have to be taken out so they don't discolour.

Better see our pork chops for the evening