Geothermal wonderland at Wai-o-tapu ,New Zealand

 Geothermal Wonderland

Wiaotapu - New Zealand 

Geyser

Waiotapu (Maori for "sacred waters")  is an active geothermal area at the southern end of the Okatiana volcanic center, just north of the Reporoa caldera.  Due to dramatic geothermal conditions beneath the earth, the area has many hot Springs, which are famous for their  for their colorful appearance. If you are visiting New Zealand, you must visit the Wai-O-Tapu Scenic Reserve, which is located close to the town of Rotorua. This is the perfect place to witness the eruption of a geyser, be mesmerized by the many colorful pools and bubbling mud pools.  Follow the link for more information on the park : Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland

Visit my youtube page at Geothermal Scenic tour of Wai-O-Tapu reserve and hit the subscribe button if you like it. 

There are a lot of tour choices from Rotorua. To book them visit the webpage for Viator at the following website: Wai-o-tapu scenic thermal wonderland. 

At the entrance of the reserve you will find Visitor center. This houses the rest rooms, a gift shop, the café and an information center with the tour maps . The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful, so make full use of their guidance. I recommend using the restrooms before embarking on the tour as there are none in the park. Do not forget to carry a bottle of water to keep hydrated and use sun screen. The sun rays in the southern hemisphere can be harsh.  The tour is self guided and has three routes which vary from 1km to 3km. depending on how much time and territory you want to cover. I recommend taking the full tour as this a once in a lifetime experience.

The tour path is well marked with lots of directional and informational information. You follow a clockwise path to keep the traffic moving and organized. As you begin the tour your first two stops are by the features called Rainbow Crater and Thunder Crater. A description of the craters is given below. 

You can see the steam from the underground water system. This erodes the ground causing the craters. (station 2 Rainbow crater) 

The oxidized minerals are deposited on the sides of the craters. (Station 2 Rainbow crater)

In this photo you can see how deep these craters can become. They look and sound ominous with all the bubbling and hissing sounds emanating from them (Station 3 Thunder Crater)

 At Station 4, you start coming across the "mud pools". The one interesting fact described in the sign is that the mud pools contained crude oil. Unfortunately not in  quantities enough to make it commercially viable. 

The mud pool is an acidic hot spring, with limited water. The acid and microorganism decompose the rock into clay and create the mud. This mud pool is aptly called the Devil's inkpot. 

As you walk towards Stations 5 and 6 you come across the area called 'Artists palette and Champagne Pool" 

The name Champagne Pool is derived from the constant efflux of carbon dioxide gas, similar to a glass of bubbling champagne. The vibrant colors come from a rich deposition of minerals and silicate. The silicate structures around the edge of the pool is teeming with microbial life. The informational signs posted give you details of the pool and the palette. The colors are vibrant and the whole view is awe inspiring. 

               

 

The overflowing water from the Champagne pool brings with it minerals that have originated deep below the surface. As the waters cool, it evaporates, exposing minerals that provide the showcase of colors. This area never looks the same two days in a row, changing depending on sunlight, water level and wind direction.

When viewed from one vantage point the pool looks all bright lemon color. 

Viewed from a different position the red colors show up . 

From this angle you are able to see the Yellow and Red colors. This is entirely dependent on the mineral interaction, combination of location and sun position. 

                                              

The embankment surrounding the pool has a long and violent history having been created by a huge eruption about 1800 years ago. 

This crater is by far the the most fascinating item on the tour. This pool as you can see from the photo has a singular consistent color. This color again changes according to the day. During my visit it was green. The water is calm and absolutely still, creating the illusion of  being a green glass top. 

The "Lady Knox Geyser" is a favorite attraction in the reserve. If you have not seen a geyser before don't miss this station. 

Hobbiton

Lord of the Rings movie set 

When the Lord of the Rings movies were released to the public in early 2000, they were an instant hit with the viewers and became the highest grossing films of all times.  The movies were based on the epic written by J.R.R. Tolkien and contained Wizards, Hobbits, long battle scenes and above all, magnificent vistas of New Zealand such as the one below.

Besides making me a fan of the series, I was captivated by the natural beauty of New Zealand and was determined to visit the country and the movie set.  The movie set is located in Matamata, which is about 70 KM from Rotorua. You can book one of the many tours on the official website at the link below. 

https://www.hobbitontours.com/

There are many companies in Rotorua that can take you to the site or you can drive there.

Please visit my you tube page at for a video tour of the Hobbiton. Don't forget to hit the red subscribe button on the right:

https://youtu.be/hIuvqvB4KUk

Back story of the Movie set

As with any movie production there is always a fascinating back story and here is the one regarding the Hobbiton movie set. Peter Jackson (the director) was scouting locations for the Shire and the village. His location scouts came across the Alexander Farm in Waikato region. The farm captured the description from the book of rolling hills, lush green pastures, a large tree, pond and grazing sheep. The Alexanders had not heard of Peter Jackson, so the first time that Jackson tried to talk to them about leasing his farm, he was told to go away as there a rugby match going on! Not deterred, Jackson came back and convinced the farmer to let him build the set on his land. After he had received a skeptical approval, the next big task was to build the set.

Alexander farm 

Jackson convinced the New Zealand government that the movies will bring the attention of the world on to New Zealand and that this would be good for the tourism industry of the country. He asked for government funding for the construction but was instead offered the assistance of the New Zealand army to move dirt and build the hobbit holes. Jackson repaid this favor by hiring soldiers as extras in the battle scenes. 

When the Lord of the Rings trilogy had finished filming the sets were removed as promised. However, the farmer started to get a lot of tourists visiting his farm expecting to find the Hobbiton village. This was obviously annoying but helped spark an idea that was profitable for all later.  Due to the success of the first series, Jackson received funding to film the prequel called "Hobbit". In order to film the "Hobbit" he would have to recreate the village with the hobbit holes again. This time he went back to the farmer and struck a deal with him that paid off big time for both. Jackson would now build more permanent structures in the Hobbiton and when the filming was done, they would open up the village up as a tourist destination. This partnership has worked well for everyone. The maintenance of the park is well funded by ticket sales. a Win-Win for all including the tourists. 

The Village Tour

You begin the tour at the main tour gateway a few miles away from the actual site. This is where you can buy tickets, get some snacks, and of course walk through the "gift" shop. From the gateway you are bussed in by the "Hobbiton" crew. They give you the detailed narrative of how and why the farm was selected and used for the movies shoot. There is no doubt that the local economy got a big boost because of this tourist destination. 

 Once you arrive at Hobbiton, the guides walk you down to the village to begin the tour. You are given a very detailed description on how the village was cleverly designed and constructed. The hobbits were little people whereas Gandalf was very tall. To tackle the problem of scaling without having to rely on CGI all the time, some of the Hobbit holes were scaled down while the others were the normal size

The Hobbit holes are very distinctive in their design, being based on rabbit holes. They were first constructed out of plywood and styro-foam but then changed to more permanent structures. The level of detail in the landscaping and design is remarkable. The gardens have flowers, weeds, furniture, fruit trees and other plantings  to give the impression that they are actually real. Sheep were brought in for grazing on the slopes. 

Normal sized Hobbit house

Small scale  Hobbit house 

                                
        

                 

Here you can see how the scaling was was used to film shots between Hobbits and Gandalf. 

              

        

The design of the homes was done with meticulous care to give you the illusion that it was being lived in. Minute details like toys were strewn in the front yard as if some children had just played there.  

The tour path takes you by the the house that belonged to Bilbo Baggins who is the main  character of the "Hobbit" series. The oak tree just above this house is entirely artificial. The trunk and branches are fiberglass and the leaves made of hand painted silk. The thousands of leaves were installed manually and if  they lost color,  the leaves are  repainted again by hand. 

House of Bilbo Baggins

Washing prop

This prop of the washing is an example of the kind of detail that the designers included in the set. 

Smoke from fake Chimney

There are chimneys that have smoke billowing out of them to make it look like there is someone living in the hobbit hole. 

                                                      

Carpenter's home

This photo depicts a carpenter's house. The tools including some of the wood shavings give you the illusion that the occupant is working on something and just went inside for a drink. This is another example of how the set was made to look like a lived-in authentic village

Apple tree 

As described above these fruit trees were planted as part of the set.  As you wind your way through the village you get an idea of what an enormous task it is to maintain the place, especially as throngs of tourists go through it seven days a week. To do this there is a crew of multiple trades maintaining the village. These range from gardeners, carpenters, electricians etc. They are unobtrusive but can be observed doing their daily chores. Making this village look clean, lived in is a full-time job for them and they love it. 

At the center of the village is the "Party " tree which is a real tree unlike the Oak. This is the tree where the party was held for Bilbo Baggins farewell ceremony. 

In the movie the tree was lit up by lanterns and there was a lot of partying that took place that night. 

The tour path is designed to take you down to the Green Dragon inn where you can buy some green Ale. If you take the evening banquet tour, you are given a guided tour along with a feast. The village is lit up at night and is quite a sight to see. 

Green Dragon Inn 

Enjoy the green Ale in the Inn

                            
I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog and hope that it motivates you to visit the place. 

Gardens by the Bay

Ariel view of the Park 

The Gardens of the Bay is a colorful futuristic park in the Marina bay area of Singapore. This is the most visited attraction in Singapore and is truly a spectacular creation. The park was built on 250 acres of reclaimed land and the sheer size of it is best seen from the observation deck of  the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. More information on this is available in my blog linked here  https://www.travelwithravi.com/search/label/City%20of%20Singapore

The Gardens have three main attractions-The Super Tree Grove, Cloud Forest conservatory and the Flower dome. I suggest you dedicate a whole day for this park. Begin the day early by visiting the observation deck on the Marina Bay Sands hotel to get an overall view of the entire city and  of the Garden. 

Then continue down to visit the Garden. 

Map of the Garden

You can enter the park via the overpass from the Sands and the Dragonfly bridge. Head over to "The Supertree Grove". This attraction is a collection of 18 tall tree like structures with an elevated walkway that gives you wonderful views of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Singapore downtown and the port. There is an elevator that takes you up to the skyway. The Supertree Grove hosts a spectacular light and music show at night which is must see . Click on my you tube link to get a flavor of the show

https://youtu.be/bSwXfLAVqyU

Supertree Grove

Super tree Grove 

 The inspiration for the shape and size of the trees come from the Karri trees of Australia. The designers were focused on making these structures as  environmentally efficient as possible. The structures range from 20 to 50 meters in height and are built with a concrete core. They are designed  have photo voltaic panels at the top to produce electrical energy for lights. A rainwater harvesting system collects water for irrigation, fountains and the cooling systems of the domes. The structures also act air intakes and exhausts for the park buildings. The design is a clever fusion of nature, art and technology. for more information on the architecture refer to the link below:

https://grant-associates.uk.com/projects/supertrees-gardens-by-the-bay

Take the elevator up to the skyway to get a closer look at the structure and the plantings. The structures are clad with planting panels with an irrigation and misting system built in. the plantings. There are more than 200 species of plantings on the trees consisting of ferns, orchids, vines and other tropical plantings. The lights for the night show are carefully  embedded within the plantings and are well hidden. the picture below is a closeup of one of the planting panels. 

View from the Skyway looking down at the garden below. A nice resting spot as there is a cafeteria nearby for refreshments. If you look beyond the oval lawn there is an elevated walkway which makes for a perfect spot to observe the night light show. 

Marina Bay Sands Casino and Hotel 

The Skyway also offers a great view of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, the Big Eye and the Flower dome. You can also get great views of downtown Singapore and the port of Singapore in the far distance. 

 

Flower Dome and Big Eye

Cloud Forest 

After spending a few hours at the Supertree Grove head over to the Cloud Forest. It offers a cool respite to the hot and humid weather usually found in Singapore. Designers for this attraction recreated a mountain within the huge glass dome like structure. The environment inside replicates the cool and moist conditions found in tropical mountains.

Map of the Cloud Forest 

 As you enter the Cloud Forest you get an amazing view of a mountain and a waterfall giving you the feeling of having wandered into a misty tropical rain forest. The temperature is noticeably cooler and the entire structure and the view is awe inspiring. As you follow the path around to the elevator you pass by an astounding Orchid enclave. Here you get to see orchids from all parts of the world including a miniature variety that needs a magnifying glass to observe. 

Take the elevator all the way up to the top and begin your journey through the different strata's of the Cloud forest. You will notice that there is a distinct temperature and humidity level at the top to simulate the expected climate of a mountain top. The fine mist that is emitted from a series of cleverly hidden pipes in the vegetation simulates this. The plantings are typical for these elevations and changes as you walk down along a remarkable suspended walkway. 

The description of the different plantings and their growth patterns are shown below on clearly marked guide boards. 

The walk down is along an elevated cantilevered walkway which in itself is an amazing feature of the garden 

    

 

Flower Dome

After spending a few hours at the Cloud Forest its time to be awed by the beauty and size of the world largest conservatory - The Flower Dome. This huge glass enclosed park, houses about 32,000 plant species and flowers from the regions of Africa, Mediterranean, Australia, California. The climate inside the dome is adjusted to match these regions. The following pictures show the  vibrant colors of the flowers and its impossible not to leave without taking hundreds of pictures. 

              

After taking in all this floral beauty, don't forget to cap off the visit by staying for the evening sound and light show at the SuperTree Grove. The following YouTube video will give you a sense of the beauty of the show.

https://youtu.be/bSwXfLAVqyU