Chronicle of Thermal Adventurer: Taupo Part I

Finally, we arrived to Taupo, the start of the "thermal adventure". Don't quote me on this (who does???) but I reckon this is where the volcanic strip that runs across the North Island starts. This volcanic strip features various hot pools, mud pools, geysers, fumaroles, terraces and volcanoes. As with many stunning natural formations in NZ, they become tourist attractions. Fortunately most are cheap/free as most consisted of self-tour. Our first stop was the Tokaanu Thermal Park photographed here in the first three photos from top left going clockwise:

The top left is a boiling mud pool. I heard the mud is good for the skin but I didn't test that theory out. There is a place in between Taupo and Rotorua where one could bath in mud (among others such as hot water pool bath...) for a cool NZD 99 but I didn't bother going because of the price and time. Anyway, Tokaanu Thermal Park charge NZD 8 for a 20 minute hot water bath and then as-long-as-you-like bath in a public swimming pool. That was the cheapest that we ever stumbled on, but also has the most modest facilities. The water is a warm 40 degrees which one need some time to adjust to. And I must admit, 20 minute in a hot water pool is long enough as after 15 minutes I got light headed and needed some time out. Oh, and I did dip my head into the pool and you're not supposed to because one can catch amoebic meningitis that way. Anyway, I only read the warning signs, which was posted on the back of the door to the pool!, after several dips of the head. I'm totally fine by the way, no Kernig sign, no neck stiffness whatsoever after. Continuing with the photo, top-right is the river that flows infront of Tokaanu Thermal Park and bottom-right is one of hot water pool found outside the park. Finally, bottom-left is a photo of the Tongariro River. A river full of rainbow trout thus a popular angling spot. There is even a National Trout Center there where the rainbow trout is farmed.

Cronicle of Thermal Adventurer: Manawatu

So, at the end of the 4th day at Wellington, we headed off to Palmerston North, which is located at the region known as Manawatu. This place was a mere stopping place on our way to Taupo, famed for its beautiful Lake Tuapo and cheap outdoor activity. Taupo (and Rotorua) is the North Island equivalent of Queenstown and Wanaka but more on that later. Anyway, Manawatu has its attraction as well. One of them is the Te Amati Wind Farm, photographed here on top right of the photo:





There are various places to view the wind farm, but the best is the one underneath where the car park is literally beneath one the wind turbine. Wind as a renewable energy source sounds very ideal with its almost non-existent pollution and relatively cheap cost, but practically it is hard to be viable. A place need to have winds that blows frequently enough and strong enough and must also be not too far from its beneficiaries. Anyway, we didn't stay long because we can't. It's too cold, the wind chill is just too much even in spring (1st December is "officially" recognized as start of summer in NZ). The other three photo from bottom right going clockwise: some random valley in the Manawatu region; typical NZ highway - 1 lane with not many cars punctuated by 2 laned "passing lanes" at certain intervals; Mt Ruapehu - one of the 3 active volcanoes in NZ, I heard it just recently erupted some time last year but I am certain that it did erupt in 1997.

Into the wild

This entry contains spoiler of the movie Into the Wild (2007). A brief synopsis first: Based on true events of Chris McCandless, who after graduating from college at the age of 24, donated all his college funds to charity, left his family and set off to live in the Alaskan wilderness. He hailed from an affluent suburban family, which nevertheless is a disharmonious one and is the reason extrapolated by the moviemaker as why the person hated the society he is in and as to why he had wanted to live self-sufficiently in the Alaskan wilderness. This reason is perhaps accentuated by the influence of the works of Leo Tolstoy, Henry David Thoreau and Jack London, which some say shaped his ascetic personality. The movie portrays his journey, the encounters he met along the way and some explanation of the reasons of his journey. I wouldn't say this movie a classic, but the story of this man did intrigued me somewhat. His ascetic personality is what made me intrigued at a time when I myself are so indulged in my own whims and is searching for a revelation to conquer it. However, it has to be said that his measure was extreme and that pure asceticism is not what is ordained in Islam. To borrow the words of Sayyid Abul A'La Maududi, a great thinker of Islamic revivalism in his book ethical viewpoint of Islam: "this (ascetic) attitude is in radical violation of the entire scheme of nature and is virtual revolt against the Will of God as immanent of His Creation. The greatest harm done to humanity by this wrong concept is that it has removed from practical life some of those individuals whom God had endowed with high moral qualities, thus leaving the field or worldly affairs mostly for the persons of inferior moral calibre." What was ordained in Islam is moderation and what it is that a man to do and don't is clearly written. My problem then is due of something else...

On another note, the idea of secluding oneself either to escape from society that has indulge itself in vices or out of the pursue of internal peace is not new. It was one of the practice of sufism, known as khalwa, and it was based on the fact that Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) secluded himself from the idolatrous society of pagan Meccans. However, one must remember that this occurred prior to his prophethood and such is not considered a sunnah.