ROTORUA (07/08/09)
The town of RotorUa is one of the most thermally active inhabited areas in the world. In the town and surrounding area there are hundreds of geysers, hot springs, hot pools, fumeroles, mud pools ans steaming vents. The local recreation park has several pools like this only seconds away from the childrens playground (there are fences). All this thermal activity also has the unfortunate side effect that the entire town reeks of rotten eggs (from the sulphur), sometimes overpoweringly so.
We arrived mid afternoon from Waitomo so didn't have much time so we spent the afternoon looking at the free thermal attractions in the local park.
Mud pools are formed when the superheated underground steam liquifies the soil creating a boiling semi liquid pond.
The bubbling, steaming mud is fascinating to watch. As more steam rises through the mud it creates large bubbles and makes an incredible gurgling sound.
This wooden platfrom runs right over one of the pools. Some of the water is so hot that the steam obscures the view although it is a good way to warm up on a cold day, if a little smelly.
In this shallow pool the bright yellow colour of the sulphur is very clear.
On the shores of the huge Lake Rotorua there is also much thermal activity. In this section the entire bank is stained yellow by sulphur and the poisonous chemical ensures that there is no plantlife.
Close to Rotorua is Rainbow Mountain, coloured red, orange and yellow by sulphur, thermal bacteria and algae. The hot lake at it's base is also an unusual colour - a milky shade of green.
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