I enjoy being a tourist. Maybe a little too much. I like asking a million questions and not being looked at as annoying and needy. I also like reading those plastic boards with all the information you will need to be a Jeporady pro. I failed today at Taupo’s Craters of the Moon though. I didn’t ask questions and I didn’t read plastic boards.
But I did feel the heat of crater steam.
It was a weird feeling, standing in the largest geothermal field in New Zealand (nerd talk, thanks Wikipedia)
What is a crater you may be wondering?
Well, since you asked. It’s a pressure cooking pot of steam. Picture those microwave steamer bags when you leave them in too long…Huge inflated bag and then POP (explosion) A mixture of hot water, steam, hot mud and pumice (or corn, carrots and peas if you are thinking microwave bags) is ejected into the air. Vegetables or earthy material may be blown up to 100 m, leaving behind craters (or melted plastic bags).
Pretty neat eh?
Here’s an aerial view
Pictures don’t do this place justice. It was eerie being around all of the gurgling and sulphur.
Glad I can say I went, don’t think I’ll be going back anytime soon.
