Taupo Lake, New Zealand - North Island - Beautiful Lake Resort Community

January 5, 2011, wednesday - Majestic Lake Taupo trip en-route to Rotorua...

Introducing the Majestic Lake Taupo, one of the many beautiful Resort town in the North island of  New Zealand, comparably breathtaking as Big Bear Lake in California.

The lake is vibrant with water activities, sailing, water skiing, swimming, picnicking - you name it, this place is a mecca for a daytripper...

BEWARE: There is a licquor Ban and the fine is hefty... $20,000.00NZD, this is just one of the many signs posted prohibiting consumption of licquor in this lake community..

Snow capped mountain is breathtaking even in the summer months, due to the high elevation, there is always snow in the mountains year round...

Meet my Ex-Brother-in-law, Norm Daken (he is kin'na camera shy) he is in charge of highway traffic, they have several vans in their pretty laid back highways, since theres not much traffic, motorists tend to speed, that is when you watch out for 'Betty Van', manned with high tech surveilance cameras taking pictures of speeding cars, relays the pictures to their database and a ticket is born, NICE!

Scenic mountain pass going towards Lake Taupo...

Since it was a 2 hour drive from Hastings to Taupo Lake, we got cravings for the New Zealand Pot Pies, this stop used to be their bathing resort in the 1800, a hotel back then, visitors would come to this resort and swim in the river and the natural thermal baths just a few yards from where this picture was taken.. that's Sandy saying 'I'm hungry, lets eat'..

No, my sister is not mad, she is busy chewing on the Beef Pot Pie, freshly baked for weary travelers like us.. but let me warn you, the prices are high, thats a $10NZD pot pie she's eating - around $8US.

Now a picnic area, this is where the once visited Hotel stood until it burned down to the ground in the 1800's.

Right at the end of that ledge, lies a very cool and beautiful river, we couldn't take pictures due to the heavy vegetation in the area, but trust me, there's a river below there...

Well, time to hit the road again, its another hour before we see the lake..

Thank heavens for american franchise, yep, thats a Subway in the middle of this busy resort town, oh, they have the big 'M' even equipped with an airplane..

Right across, just a walking distance is where the beaches are found, since it was prohibited to park and swim in this busy shopping area, the beaches are only for viewing...

Yup! thats a plane alright, no it didn't crash there, its their McDonalds...

And this is their McDonald Menu board, notice the prices?, yep yep, they're really pricey, a mac & cheese is $12NZD, thats about $10USD..

And that was Lake Taupo, clean, bright, warm and inviting and bustling with people from all over...