12/31/22 – New Year’s Eve in NZ🎊

Today began with a most wonderful tour at “Te Puia” – in the geothermal valley (Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley) just south of Rotorua city center (demonstrating 3 Maori crafts – stone carving; wood carving & weaving). It is home to the New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute and has a state-of-the-art Kiwi Conservation Centre as well as geysers, bubbling mud, and beautiful native bush. After Te Puia we headed to Huka Falls just north of Taupo and the huge, beautiful Lake Taupo. FYI – Taupo is the mountain biking center of New Zealand! We drove along the shores of Lake Taupo for many miles on our way to a “KiwiCash” campground in the city of National Park, the highest urban township in New Zealand at 825 meters. The city of National Park is alongside the national park known as Tongariro National Park – a volcanic wonderland (so the advertisements say!😜). Some hiking in the park tomorrow