| Best of New Zealand | |
| Levin to Taupo | |
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| Heading north on Highway 1 and pausing at Levin which has a population of around 20,000 and is the largest town in the Horowhenua District - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Some 130 km beyond Levin is Taihape, a small town serving a rural community - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Taihape Motel boasts SKY television but Tranz Rail demolished the town's historic railway station in 1999 - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Taihape promotes itself as the world's gumboot capital and an annual gumboot throwing contest is held each year in March - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Again the main street generally reflects the typical British colonial style buildings of the early to mid 20th Century - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Town Clock and War Memorial (left); the post office (right) built in 1937 does not reflect the traditional style of buildings along the main street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Unfortunately time precluded a visit to the New Zealand Army Museum at Waiouru - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Heading over the Rangipo Desert on Highway 1 which may be closed in Winter. In November 2014 there was still a scattering of snow on the higher ground - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Mount Ngauruhoe, an active volcano rising to 2291 metres - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The town of Taupo looking towards Lake Taupo and a very special McDonald's - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| McDonald's Douglas DC3 which was acquired by McDonalds along with the site that previously belonged to the somewhat incongruous Aeroplane Car Company - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Lake Taupo and Mounts Ngauruhoe and Tongariro viewed from across the lake - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Helistar Flight Centre owns the Hub Cafe with its Russian Mil 8 helicopter - arguably of more interest than the nearby Huka Falls - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The powerful Huka Falls on the Waikato River which is New Zealand's longest - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Craters of the Moon Geothermal Walk not far from Taupo - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Craters of the Moon were created in the 1950s by the lowering of underground water pressure after the building of a nearby geothermal power station which caused superheated water to rise and vent off through the ground - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| It takes about 45 minutes to walk round the circuit past various steam vents - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| If less than spectacular, the Craters of the Moon nevertheless are part of the largest geothermal field in New Zealand - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The nearby geothermal power station - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Certainly the dramatic display of escaping steam rivalled the Craters of the Moon - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
| New Zealand | |