Kerry's Motel Rotorua

... mudpools, milky white water and arid soil. Looked pretty cool and very different to the lush green hills we saw all around! Plenty of 'Danger' signs around though so we didn't stray too far from the designated path! It's all to do with New Zealand's position above two tectonic plates that cause all of this geothermal activity (all a bit Scientific for us!!) but it's the reason there are hot springs and hot water beaches everywhere.

The day was completed ...

... Arrived in Rotorua proper around 4:30, then headed off to Maori hangi ceremony that night at 6. Pricy, but loads of fun. Our bus driver Florence was a total hoot, and the dinner itself was full of traditional Maori singing, dancing, the welcoming ceremony, a cultural village, and of course the hangi meal.

... to watch a film on the laptop which Lauren failed to stay awake for - she blamed the jet lag!!


The following morning we enjoyed an early morning run then took full advantage of free use of the thermal springs. After having breakfast and showering we got on the road to Taupo. We stopped off at ‘The Honey Hive’ in Wairakei where we saw lots of bees in action and browsed the shop. We then went on to Huka falls which we were really ...

... been raining lots. I had originally planned on staying 2 days but with the bad weather and suffering a cold i checked the weather and found the following day should be better so i stayed an extra day and luckily the weather did improve. So i got chance the walk around the town a bit and walked down to a geothermal park, where i saw lots of mud pools, hot springs and a geyer. I also got a free ticket for a 45min Maori Cultural Show which was very good.

... for NZ$12 - less than £5 and it tasted magnificent. Food is something that has really taken us by surprise in New Zealand. Having expected much the same as the UK, there are some quite noticeable differences in the middle/low end of the eating out range other than simply price. Firstly quantity - everything comes in heaps and mountains, especially the carb items, and probably goes some way to explaining the numbers of hefty people walking the streets. Secondly quality ...

... the years until it became the museum today. There are lots of parks, gardens and lawns surrounding the museum and throughout the town, and often there will be an active opening where the geothermal steam comes out. The area smells a bit like sulfur, but given the beautiful surroundings, ancient culture and the benefits of area's mineral waters - it really doesn't smell that bad. After walking the through the museum, I was picked up at my backpackers motel (not quite a hostel, but I'm ...

... with a traditional Hangi meal - cooked in steam in the ground. We then went on a guided tour and learned about the site of the village on the thermally active ground. There are lots of steaming hot pools, where we saw them cooking corn cobs in a big string bag. We were also shown the holes dug in the hot earth which they cover with wood to made a big pressure cooker. They also use the natural hot water for ...

... more entertaining. We certainly got very wet going under water at the 7 metre drop. The bad part for me was having to carry the canoe up the hill at the end. By the middle of the night I had a sore neck and sore muscles (yes it seems I do have some) across both arms. Kept me up most of the night but it is all good now and I'm ready for my next adventure. Be back with you soon. William

... earn your living, but must have a lot of appeal. One of the other staff was a guy from Manchester who came over here to make a living as a sky diver; I guess there's not a lot of call for them in Manchester - it's not very scenic, after all. But whilst Eric had the sort of physique and build you would feel safe strapped against 9000 feet in the air, I'm afraid this other guy didn't - maybe he's specialising in children rather than adults. Anyway, they got ...

... in our hovel, I mean hostel.

Katie was 10 mins late leaving the room (as a result of pulling half her hair out trying to comb it after running out of conditioner), but managed to avoid getting charged thankfully.

We needed some breakfast, so we headed to the local convenience store and stocked up on toileteries before grabbing some quick brekkie and ...