What a day in Taupo!

 The forecasters got it wrong again. We woke to beautiful blue skies in Taupo (pronounced Toe-pour as we learnt today). What a lucky break.

We started our day with a walk to the Huka Falls. We were having a lovely gentle walk through the forest when we came out onto the falls. Wow! What an amazing sight. Check out our photos below. As we were standing there watching, I said to Clare that it felt like we were in God's presence. She replied, "Yeah, Poseidon". Not quite the god I was talking about but I guess that is what it meant to her.

Not only is Huka Falls beautiful, it is also used to generate lots of hydroelectric power. About 14% of NZ's power comes from hydroelectricity generated from the Waikato River and the Huka Falls.

We were so pleased with the beauty of the falls but we had no idea of what was to come.

This afternoon, we toured the western side of Lake Taupo with the fabulous Ian from Taxicat Adventures. We set out from Kinloch which is just outside Taupo. On the way there, we saw lots of steam coming out of the ground through vents thanks to all the geothermal energy in the area. The scenery was also incredibly picturesque. On the water, we had a ball. Not only did we have a private tour but travelling across the lake on a power boat to visit amazing waterfalls, beaches and sheer rock faces was an absolute delight. If you ever find yourself in Taupo, book a trip with Taxicat. You won't regret it.

The extra bonus was that Ian gave us lots of tips of other activities and around Taupo.