Going to Lake Taupo, we’ve got $300

Howdy High-rollers!

We decided to take a trip to Lake Taupo, a resort destination, and live the good life this past weekend. We took along a massive $300 to drop. We got up at an ungodly 6:30am on the weekend to get an early start. We hit Taupo at 10am and began our adventure at the Taupo Museum and Gallery.

Entry: $12
Wallet: $288

The museum contained a fascinating Maori meeting house, adorned with traditional and elaborate carvings. We also boned up on more recent local lore of how Taupo became the trout capital of New Zealand. Entrepreneurial European settlers dropped trout into the largely-fishless volcanic Lake Taupo and discovered that they quickly became monsters. It was not uncommon to pull out a rainbow trout of almost 20 lbs! Our second stop was the Honey Hive, New Zealand’s largest showcase of honey products.

Entry: free
Wallet: $288

After reading up on worker bees and drones, we searched endlessly for the queen in the busy glass enclosed hives. She was missing in action, but she works hard and deserves a break. We sampled honey, mead, liqueurs and fruit wines. At this point, errybody in the club gettin tipsy so we made the solid decision to walk it off above the full flow of the Waikato River, New Zealand’s most voluminous and longest, plunging over an eleven-metre shelf.

Entry: free (risk of life and limb)
Wallet: $288

We made our way to Huka Falls, meaning great body of spray. The power of some four hundred tonnes of water per second makes it an awesome sight. We decided to walk the 14 km round trip from Huka Falls to Aratiatia Dam, which holds back the Waikato immediately above the Aratiatia Rapids. We missed seeing the rapids in their full glory, but Huka Falls made up for that! Sadly, we opted to leave our water bottle behind as 14 km is a mere jaunt. One of our party did not see the delicious irony of being parched beside New Zealand’s largest river and muttered, “Stupid!” every few minutes. Very thirsty and hungry, we looked for accommodation before dinner.

Cost: $125
Wallet: $163

We stayed at the charming chalet named The Cottage Mews right on the shores of Lake Taupo. The friendly proprietor, Julie, offered us the two-storey spa suite with a lake view for the same rate as the much smaller bach. Upon discovering that we were Canadian, she offered us a further discount. Sweet!

Refund for being Canadian: $10
Wallet: $173

Feeling much refreshed after a hot shower with city-pressure, we headed to Jolly Good Fellows British Pub for some delicious and well deserved fare!

Cost: $48
Wallet: $125

The bar boasted bills from all over the world. We waited at the bar while families cleared out, trying to find a Canadian bill. Cheeky signs adorned the walls, the best of which was: Shoes & Shirt Required – Bra & Panties, Optional.
I’ve never been so undecided on a menu, so at the waitresses advice, I had Bangers & Mash. Yum! Joseph had a traditional kiwi burger with a fried egg and beet root, making it impossible to fit into ones mouth all at once. The real reward for the day was a decadent piece of chocolate mousse cake. True to his vows, Joseph allowed me the last bite. We’re determined to eat this cake again, perhaps on our next voyage through Taupo. Double YUM!

The following day, we headed to Craters of the Moon, an other-worldly geothermal area that sprung up in the 1950’s.

Entry: $12
Wallet: $113

The power station lowered underground water levels, reducing the pressure of the heated water and causing more vigorous boiling and steam. The belching steam, bubbling mud and hissing are just a taste of what Rotorua offers. Enjoyable nonetheless! We couldn’t possibly visit Taupo without also having a soak in Debrett’s Hot Springs. Our high-roller coupon allowed us the option of a private mineral pool, which come in a range of temperatures – very nice!

Entry: $24
Wallet: $89

After soaking in plus 40, we caught some natural light in the public pool before heading to Acacia Bay. We had heard of LÁrte, a café and gallery like none other!

Lunch and latte: $26
Wallet: $63

The café and gallery are both set in the magical garden complete with an outside mosaic living room! Our mushroom soup was a delight, as was the cappuccino with a heart on top. We missed a walk along the lakefront to Five Mile Bay, but there needs to be something, besides decadent chocolate cake, to bring about a return visit!

Petrol: $63
Wallet: $0

Who knows where our crazy high-rolling will take us next!