Rachel Versus The Volcano or....

How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Magma

The Taupo region of New Zealand is essentially a giant volcano that has exploded 28 times in the last 27,000 years. The last eruption, about 2,000 years ago, was so large that observers in Rome and in China reported that the sky turned red. Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand, was formed out of a caldera from an eruption 26,500 years ago.


Geothermal activity is still easily found in the area.

The air in many places is heavy with sulfur, which gives off a strong odor of rotten eggs. Rachel, how do you feel about the smell of sulfur?

The beaches of Lake Taupo are composed of pumice from past explosions. Pumice is a rock that is filled with air holes, making it so light that it floats.

Black Swans, or “Cygnus Atratus”, which are originally native to Australia and the Tasman Sea area, now swim along the shores of Lake Taupo.

Lake Taupo empties into the Waitahaui River. Not far from the river’s mouth are the dramatic Huka falls, which are so powerful they provide much of the electricity to the town.

The geothermal areas have many plant species that have adapted to survive the hostile mix of heat and acid. Because of these adaptations they can grow only in this environment.



Rotorua is the other well known tourist destination in the area. It reminded us of the Wisconsin Dells: It has some unique geographical features with rides and tourist traps. It also has duck boats.

Of course Rachel’s favorite part of the trip was the McDonalds with an airplane.

For some reason food tastes better when it’s eaten on a plane.

Mele Kalikimak is the island way of saying Seasons Greetings

There’s something strange about celebrating a Festival of Lights in a land of brightness. We’ve been lame about lighting the candles, partially due to the fact that it doesn’t get dark until after Rachel goes to bed. Like all new people in a new land, we’ve taken some of our old traditions, such as presents, and melded them with new holiday traditions like feeding the ducks in the park.

Our holiday festivities started with a gigantic music festival called Coca-Cola Presents Christmas In the Park. We knew we were in a strange land when the MC said, “…because when you think of Christmas, you think of drinking Coca Cola on the beach with friends”

New Zealanders have their own holiday idiosyncracies. For instance, the pohutukawa tree is considered their Christmas tree, since its red blossoms come out in December.

On Christmas morning we drove to Lake Taupo, which is about 3 hours south of Auckland. We got into the rental car, hit the highway, and turned on the radio. The DJ, I’m not making this up, starting talking about all of the canceled flights at the Minneapolis Airport. I would be lying if I didn’t admit to schadenfreude filling the car.

Lake Taupo is the largest lake in New Zealand. It was created from a number of volcanic eruptions. The last one was about 2,000 years ago and was so powerful it turned the skies over Rome and China red. Currently, the volcano is considered dormant and the area features numerous geothermal features.

We did see snow this Christmas

Instead of the radiant glow of a Yule log, we had the thermal steam-heat of a hot spring.

In the end it all worked out the same though. Rachel is in bed, exhausted from a long day.

First Day At a New School

(I’m sorry I’ve been so lame about posting. We haven’t got the internet set up, we’re hoping to have it next week, so getting on-line has been a little tricky.)

Things are coming together, and Thursday was the first day at a new school.

The first stop is the elevator. Down two floors.

Hello kitty. Notice how Rachel and the cat match.

It’s through the ducky park.

Press the button to hear when the next bus comes.

Of the bus and a long walk through the park.

Down the hill.

And we’re at school.

The school is more of a daycare than and an actual learning institution like JJ Hill Montessori. Rachel though has met some really nice kids, and children are allowed to run free like Lord of The Flies.

The Food Post Part I

( A quick note. Some people mentioned they had trouble posting comments. It was my fault. I changed the settings, making it easier. Please comment at will.)



In the short time we’ve been here, we’ve done our best to sample as much of the local cuisine as possible. Rachel, the toughest food critic in our family, gives her opinions.

First up, mince pie. Filled with dried fruit, mince pie is either a big hit, or big miss with kids. Rachel, what is your opinion?


Two enthusiastic thumbs up! Yummers!





Our next food is Vegemite. It is said that if you haven’t been exposed to Vegemite by the age of two, it may be quite difficult to develop a taste for it. Rachel, what do you think?






If you look closely, you can actually see the piece of toast being spit out. To say it gently, Rachel does not like it.



New Zealand is the land of sheep: there’s 10 sheep for every person. In this context, Lamb & Mint Potato Chips make sense. Lamb is to New Zealand what cheese is to Wisconsin. It’s ubiquitous. What would Rachel think of the uniquely New Zealand snack food?



She likes it!



New Zealand is also known for its Green Mussels. Our first chance to savor them in their native land, came at a Japanese restaurant. They were served Robata style. Robata is Japanese for Minnesota State Fair food: it’s breaded, deep fried, and on a stick. Rachel, how are those mussels?



A surprising two thumbs up!

Even though we’ve been staying two blocks from the harbor, and you can see the water from our balcony, Rachel didn’t realize we were on the ocean until this afternoon. We’ve been so busy setting up bank accounts, means of communications, and finding a place to live that we haven’t had much time to take in the sights. We have however learned, for the most part, how to navigate the pristine streets of Auckland.

Every crosswalk has a button, and when it’s time to cross the crossing lights make a chirping noise. Rachel loves to cross the street. Button pushing plus chirping noise, what could be better.

Disaster was narrowly averted thanks to the amenities that the city of Auckland has so graciously provided.

“Daddy do you see what I see, it’s the ocean.”. That’s what Rachel said when we came around the corner and saw the marina.

Lastly, some good advice from a nearby Chinese Restaurant. If loving a duck is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Like a flightless bird, we land

From this:

To this:

Rachel says the plane ride was not that long, which is good, because for me and Alice it was that long. Not because of Rachel, but because it was just that long. Air New Zealand is awesome, and no complaints about them, but a 13 hour plane ride is still a 13 hour plane ride.

Yesterday, our first day, went quickly. We still haven’t found a playground, but we did find breakfast cereal, how to get around on the bus and that Sky TV does not offer the vast choices of DIRECTV. We also learned that cookies are called biscuits, and the trees in New Zealand are funny looking.

We’re still looking for a place to live, but have some showings set up. It’s nice and warm here, and we’re looking forward to our adventures.