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AllieMark: Lake Taupo lake front
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AllieMark: We briefly stopped by Lake Taupo
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AllieMark: Pumice on the lake shore
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AllieMark: Yep, pumice - it floats
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AllieMark: Hot water emptying into the lake
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AllieMark: Writing at the Funky Green hostel, just back from the hot pools
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AllieMark: Silver rings, now bronze colored from our dip in the hot pools
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AllieMark: Entrance to Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park
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AllieMark: Rainbow Springs has an aviary in the lobby
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AllieMark: This colorful bird was pretty friendly
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AllieMark: Blue-headed bird
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AllieMark: Natural pool filled with trout - the fish can come as go via trout ladders
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AllieMark: Many of the trout were a meter long!
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AllieMark: The trout swim in a circle
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AllieMark: Large rainbow trout
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AllieMark: Of course, Allie tries to touch one
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AllieMark: Explaining the fish ladders
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AllieMark: Mamaku, a native NZ fern tree
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AllieMark: Mamaku
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AllieMark: Lots of walkways in Rainbow Springs
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AllieMark: Silver Tree Fern signage, NZ's icon
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AllieMark: Green parrot - think this was a NZ native bird, but not certain
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AllieMark: This tui flitted about the aviary, always with one eye on us
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AllieMark: A tui bird
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AllieMark: Explaining the Kauri tree
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AllieMark: Kauri tree
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AllieMark: This enormous piece of jade is on loan to the park
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AllieMark: Stuffed kiwis, sadly, many are killed by stoats and dogs
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AllieMark: Kiwis have nostrils at the end of their beak, enabling them to easily sniff out food
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AllieMark: Allie catches a cat nap