Waimangu Volcanic Valley was an unplanned visit. When my brother-in-law came to visit his mother, we decided to go to Rotorua for a few days. They were interested in seeing something geothermal, and I intended to go to Wai-o-tapu. However, with the changes brought on by COVID-19, I got confused and didn't realise I had made a navigation error until we were 15 minutes into the walk. But it turned out to be a happy mistake. I'm not saying that Waimangu is better than Wai-o-tapu; it's just a different experience.
While crossing a stream, I noticed a camouflage-like pattern in the water. It was made of newly mineralised rock, algae, and steamy waters. It reminded me of the A-TACS patterns, particularly basic and FG.
Waimangu Volcanic Valley is the world's newest geothermal area, which means that it can change suddenly. Because of changes in the landscape, many old paths have had to be re-routed. The area was formed from a volcanic eruption about 150 years ago, which is like a few seconds ago on geological timescales. The area is worth a visit, but some parts can be steep.