Friday 19th Sep 2003
Auckland – Matamata – Tirau – Taupo

That time again. When the feet begin to get itchy. And those far away places over the hills begin to look greener. Sally and I began to plan a South Island trip back in June and when we investigated whether we could book the Cook Strait Ferry on the net, and found it was absurdly easy, so we booked there and then. So we knew we were committed. We also booked some accommodation using the internet and then explored further to identify areas of the South where we hadn't yet visited. We had a basic plan; go over the Lewis Pass, return via Arthur's Pass, head south down the center and return up the east coast. We were already familiar with most of the main routes so we sought out the smaller places and areas where, for example, the Lord of the Rings filming had taken place.

So, on a sunny Friday we set off for Taupo via Matamata, partly to escape the traffic around Hamilton and partly to look up the Hobbiton Tours. Any thought of seeing Hobbiton faded with the realisation that it was essentially a half day tour dozens of Kms into the foothills, you could not go without a guide, the tour took in a sheep farm and the total cost was obviously geared to very wealthy tourists. Never mind, Matamata is a nice town and we had a bit of a rest before moving on. At Tirau we decided it was time for lunch which we had under the watchful eye of the sheep dog.

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Sheep & sheep dog buildings - Tirau

Did some shopping, took some photos and continued southwards. Just outside Taupo we visited the Volcanic Plateau Center near the Huka Falls.

Volcanic Activity Center just North of Taupo

We spent an absorbing hour looking at the exhibits; everything you ever wished to know about earthquakes, geysers, volcanoes and geology incuding many interactive exhibits. Ever been in a 6.5 earthquake? You could experience one here.

Onwards to the Huka Falls which we must have visited half a dozen times, more photos. Well, you are not allowed to vist the Huka Falls without taking photos. Especially if you have a new camera.

The 38,625,428th picture of the Huka Falls

The Bee Shop along the Huka Falls road was the last attraction for the day. Mum buying a jar of very exotic honey only to discover later that the same product was available in supermarkets for a fraction of the price. Well, we can at least say that we have contributed to the economy of the region.

The indoor bee hives


Sampling the wares

Each day we rated the accommodation and recorded the cost. Taupo's Mountain View Motel looked attractive on the net, but it turned out to be fairly old and we only gave it a modest score. To be fair you probably could see the mountains if you stood on the roof.    $85. Rating: 6/10.