Rotorua & Taupo

Went to Wai-O-Tapu in  Rotorua to photograph, of all things, fantail birds. They did not oblige us with their presence, but we did have a curious onlooker

Had a look around the thermal area. The recent rains had coated most of the area with a layer of grey mud, so not very impressive. The sulphury areas were there, but not as bright as usual

Moss along the banks still impressed with the unusual colours. These are due to the chemicals from deep in the soil that are brought up by the steam.

The green is from colloidal ferrous salts, the orange from antimony and the purple from manganese.

The plentiful reddish-brown is from iron oxide

This is my 'fried egg' - a permanent fixture in one of the thermal pools

The nearby mud pools are constantly boiling, with dozens of 'spurts' all over around a metre high. Some look rather like monsters.

Others are just an untidy mess.

Now off to Lake Rotorua. Loads of seagulls, ducks, swans, shags and geese.

Tricky flying

More of the same.

A bit boring, so off to Taupo to visit the "Craters of the Moon". Showery weather, but the dampness made some of the landscape a bit more colourful.

Much the same as Wai-O-Tapu

A large area of steam, mini-steam vents, boiling mud, volcanic colours.

Back to Rotorua and a look at the Redwood Forest.

Showery still, but when the sun came out, it was rather nice.

Some of those beasties were large and tall.

Down to the Lake again. Very friendly, but all they wanted was food from the tourists !! Cupboard Love.