Water, boiling, falling
Wandering northward from Tongariro around Lake Taupo among hot springs, fumaroles, geysers …
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- Waikete hot springs: rich in calcium and manganese but not sulfur.
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- Tokaanu hot springs
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- Channel of the Waikato–longest river in NZ.
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- Huka falls of the Waikato river. Hydro projects along this river contribute something like 15% of NZ electric power.
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- Hot water pools at Waikete
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- Waikete valley
…on our way to Rotorua where E’s classmates spoke glowingly about riding the luges? This seems to be a uniquely NZ gravity vehicle.
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- A gondola takes you
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- to the top of the ridge,
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- where the luges await.
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- Pull back to slow down, push forward to let yourself go faster.
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- We saw luge riders of *all* ages.
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- Not a flavor we’re likely to get in any other country.
