We love exploring

It’s no secret that we love exploring and finding new things when we are out and about.  High on our “must do” list was a trip to find the Kaimanawa Wall.  After having read about it some time ago, we pooled cars and drove up the Napier-Taupo Road, turning into a pine plantation, and then driving through native forest onto Clements Mill Road.  The GPS told us when we finally arrived, but where was this mystery wall ?  Perhaps by that green sign we just drove past?

Kaimanawa Wall

According to the Dept. of Conservation sign, “the rock formation has been scientifically established to be part of a large Ignimbrite  outcrop formed about 330,000 years ago”, a type of rock that results when pyroclastic pumice solidifies after a volcanic blast. The structure seems to bear the hallmarks of a deliberate construction with neat rows of stacked blocks. Precision joints and surfaces appear carved or sculpted.

Some sceptics believe that the stone wall is man made, constructed by people about 2000 years ago, who pre-date the Maori population. The most heated area of contention about the wall is its age. If someone built the formation around 2000 years ago, then a mysterious group of people must have settled New Zealand before the first Maori – however, we believe the scientific explanation.  This was certainly very interesting to see, and it certainly did look like cut blocks of stone stacked together.  I’m pleased we made the effort to travel out to see it.

Kaimanawa Wall

On the drive back there was another attraction we had read about and wanted to see.   At the Opepe Bush Historic Reserve there is a tiny cemetery which tells the story of a surprise attack in 1869 by Maori Chief Te Kooti  on 14 members of the Bay of Plenty Cavalry camping in this area.  The attack left nine British soldiers dead, and their bodies are buried in the cemetery.  There are four graves in this tiny cemetery, and another tucked away nearby.  This was a piece of New Zealand history which we were unaware of.

Cemetery at Opepe Reserve

We spent a couple of nights at NZMCA camp close to Taupo Airport.  Always a busy place with the airport not far away, and the rescue helicopter across the road.  and then there is the never ending stream of sky divers jumping out of airplanes and floating down to earth overhead.    Gemma couldn’t care less about all this drama, and tucked herself away under our outdoors step.  Much better, now those people falling out of the sky wont be falling on her!

As I was sitting outside doing some stitching in the afternoon sunshine, the lady in a campervan parked next to us came to see what I was doing.  It turned out that she is a quilter too!  Currently she is working on Diamond Painting and brought her current project over to show me.  I don’t think I could cope with this, minute little beads which have to be placed precisely on a tiny graph.  But the results are visually stunning, I have to agree.

My friendly crafty neighbour at Taupo camp

Isn’t this a gorgeous view from the Lookout at Taupo.  That's Lake Taupo and the mountains in the background – just a little hazy but still looking lovely.

View from the Lookout

I've managed to keep up with my blog reading while we are away, and I see that the Rainbow Scrap Challenge has started for 2020.  So I’m really missing not being able to get started just yet – I’ll have to be patient and wait till we return home after all this tripping around.