6/1/2008 Our 1st (and Only) Rainy Day!!!

First order of business was to get a new car or tire, whichever they decided. It turned out it was a car! Once we had breakfast and met the AVIS guy, we were on our way to the mountains. Only problem, once we reached the point where our hike would begin, it was raining and covered in dense fog. With no hope of clearing, we took our time driving back to Taupo and spent several hours at the Taupo Museum where we learned about the volcanic eruption that formed the lake and the mountains as well as toured the award winning outdoor garden depicting many areas of their culture. The weather cleared a bit so we went to Huka Falls on the Waireka River. The highlight is to take a $95 jet boat ride to the bottom of the falls, but we opted to stay on land and view it from above!