On our Lake Taupo cruise. This is what replaced our morning activity given that we didn't stay much farther south in the Tongariro National Park. The original itinerary would have had us driving up past this lake, without stopping, on our way to Rotorua to the north.
It was a pretty, chilly morning as we headed out on Lake Taupo. It's the largest lake in NZ, and fills an ancient volcanic caldera, similar to Crater Lake. In the direction of this photo in the distance is the Te Mihi Geothermal Power Station.
Around the point over there is where we were headed - to the Māori Rock Carvings.
We are now approaching the Māori Rock Carvings, to the left. I see Keith preparing his high-powered camera!
It's 42 feet tall, right down to the water level. In 1976, a traditional marae-taught carver's grandmother asked him to create a likeness of her ancestor,
Ngatoroirangi, on a totara tree to create a permanent connection for her
family to the land. When the young carver arrived in Taupo, there was no totara
tree to carve, so he journeyed onto the lake for inspiration. He found this spot, where he and four others spent four years to create this extraordinary contemporary Māori artwork.(Keith's photo)
Next to the main carving were a few other smaller ones. You can see a face in the center, another face to the left, and a third carving on the far left. (Again, taken from Keith.)
Looking south across the lake, we could see the active volcano, Mt. Ruapehu, which was erupting. Apparently, it is frequently erupting, although in this photo it's hard to distinguish the clouds from the erupting ash and steam. That was where we originally were supposed to have stayed the previous night.
Upon returning, we were free to wander Taupo and find lunch. We sat outside here, in the glorious sunshine, for our sandwiches and beers.
After lunch, we came across the World's Coolest McDonald's. What made it so special was that you could climb those steps and eat inside an actual DC-3.
Here's the cockpit door, and you can see an engine and propeller to the left.
Sure enough, you could eat inside!
Up front was the real cockpit. It was built in 1943 for the U.S. Air Force, but was sold to Australia after the war. They posted its long history of service as a NZ military transport plane, passenger plane for numerous Australian and Kiwi airlines, and finally in agriculture service. It sold to McDonald's in 1990.
We headed north out of Taupo to the Huka Falls, just below our hotel from the night before.
Very scenic. That's the bridge where we were for the photos above and below. This is the Waikato River heading north out of the lake, the same river
we crossed on our swing bridge the day before (many miles to the
northwest).
Lots of whitewater rushing through the gorge.
Our next stop on the way to Rotorua was the Wai O Tapu Thermal Park.
It is located within the Taupo Volcanic Zone, one of the most active volcanic areas in the world. It's been active for the past two million years. Mt. Ruapehu marks its south-western end, and the zone runs north-eastward through the Taupo and Rotorua areas and offshore into the bay off Tauranga (where our cruise ship docked). There are 17 major hydrothermal fields in this zone.
Bubbling craters everywhere...
...some with more steam than others. It was quite colorful too, with various mineral deposits creating either deep green, pink, yellow, or other shades in the various acidic pools.
Janet is waving next to Champagne Pool, the largest hot spring in NZ. The carbon dioxide bubbles give it its name. The surface is 165°F.
It was a long walk around the park.
A stream of scorching water.
Thick, white deposits.
Champagne Pool was 165°, and this one's 212°F!
What a deep green color, due to being high in minerals that reflect that color. The pH is only 2, meaning VERY acidic.
As we exited the park, I took a picture of this silver fern, New Zealand's icon. The fronds have the silver-white color on the under-surface. The silver fern has become one of NZ's most widely recognized symbols, next to the kiwi - however, it is not an official national symbol.
Almost to Rotorua, we stopped at some mud pools, where brief eruptions occurred. We kept our cameras ready, in case we might get lucky...
I got lucky, snapping this eruption in the nick of time. We then drove past scenic Red Lake and Blue Lake on our way into town.
The Rotorua Museum, which we drove past on our way to our hotel. It was undergoing earthquake strengthening. It used to be the Bath House building, which opened
in 1908. It was the government's first major investment in the country's
tourism industry. The Bath House is half-timbered, called the most impressive Elizabethan Revival building in New Zealand.
The view out our hotel window, of Lake Rotorua. We all had dinner in the hotel, a buffet.
On our Lake Taupo cruise. This is what replaced our morning activity given that we didn't stay much farther south in the Tongariro National Park. The original itinerary would have had us driving up past this lake, without stopping, on our way to Rotorua to the north.
It was a pretty, chilly morning as we headed out on Lake Taupo. It's the largest lake in NZ, and fills an ancient volcanic caldera, similar to Crater Lake. In the direction of this photo in the distance is the Te Mihi Geothermal Power Station. 
Around the point over there is where we were headed - to the Māori Rock Carvings.
We are now approaching the Māori Rock Carvings, to the left. I see Keith preparing his high-powered camera!
It's 42 feet tall, right down to the water level. In 1976, a traditional marae-taught carver's grandmother asked him to create a likeness of her ancestor,
Ngatoroirangi, on a totara tree to create a permanent connection for her
family to the land. When the young carver arrived in Taupo, there was no totara
tree to carve, so he journeyed onto the lake for inspiration. He found this spot, where he and four others spent four years to create this extraordinary contemporary Māori artwork.(Keith's photo)
Next to the main carving were a few other smaller ones. You can see a face in the center, another face to the left, and a third carving on the far left. (Again, taken from Keith.)
Looking south across the lake, we could see the active volcano, Mt. Ruapehu, which was erupting. Apparently, it is frequently erupting, although in this photo it's hard to distinguish the clouds from the erupting ash and steam. That was where we originally were supposed to have stayed the previous night. 
Upon returning, we were free to wander Taupo and find lunch. We sat outside here, in the glorious sunshine, for our sandwiches and beers. 
After lunch, we came across the World's Coolest McDonald's. What made it so special was that you could climb those steps and eat inside an actual DC-3.
Here's the cockpit door, and you can see an engine and propeller to the left.
Sure enough, you could eat inside!
Up front was the real cockpit. It was built in 1943 for the U.S. Air Force, but was sold to Australia after the war. They posted its long history of service as a NZ military transport plane, passenger plane for numerous Australian and Kiwi airlines, and finally in agriculture service. It sold to McDonald's in 1990.
We headed north out of Taupo to the Huka Falls, just below our hotel from the night before.
Very scenic. That's the bridge where we were for the photos above and below. This is the Waikato River heading north out of the lake, the same river
we crossed on our swing bridge the day before (many miles to the
northwest). 
Lots of whitewater rushing through the gorge. 
Our next stop on the way to Rotorua was the Wai O Tapu Thermal Park.
It is located within the Taupo Volcanic Zone, one of the most active volcanic areas in the world. It's been active for the past two million years. Mt. Ruapehu marks its south-western end, and the zone runs north-eastward through the Taupo and Rotorua areas and offshore into the bay off Tauranga (where our cruise ship docked). There are 17 major hydrothermal fields in this zone.
Bubbling craters everywhere...
...some with more steam than others. It was quite colorful too, with various mineral deposits creating either deep green, pink, yellow, or other shades in the various acidic pools.
Janet is waving next to Champagne Pool, the largest hot spring in NZ. The carbon dioxide bubbles give it its name. The surface is 165°F.
It was a long walk around the park.
A stream of scorching water.
Thick, white deposits.
Champagne Pool was 165°, and this one's 212°F!
What a deep green color, due to being high in minerals that reflect that color. The pH is only 2, meaning VERY acidic.
As we exited the park, I took a picture of this silver fern, New Zealand's icon. The fronds have the silver-white color on the under-surface. The silver fern has become one of NZ's most widely recognized symbols, next to the kiwi - however, it is not an official national symbol.
Almost to Rotorua, we stopped at some mud pools, where brief eruptions occurred. We kept our cameras ready, in case we might get lucky...
I got lucky, snapping this eruption in the nick of time. We then drove past scenic Red Lake and Blue Lake on our way into town.
The Rotorua Museum, which we drove past on our way to our hotel. It was undergoing earthquake strengthening. It used to be the Bath House building, which opened
in 1908. It was the government's first major investment in the country's
tourism industry. The Bath House is half-timbered, called the most impressive Elizabethan Revival building in New Zealand.
The view out our hotel window, of Lake Rotorua. We all had dinner in the hotel, a buffet. 
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