Rotorua

Stayed at the Hot Rock Hostel which was fantastic as, like most places in Rotorua, it's built on top of a hot spring and every where was warm including the outdoor pool, which was like a bath. The only down side of all this geothermal heat is that everywhere smells like egg!

01 Ted doing his old Popodom balancing trick!

Had a lovely Stay in Rotorua apart from the fact that Suzy and Ted had both caught colds, no doubt from our wet caving experience, and so neither of them wanted to go in the outside pool. It was alright though cause Dave made up for them and spent a lot of time swimming around. Went up the mountain in a gondola and we all went Luging. The Luge is a little gravity propelled go-kart which you can steer and slow down. There were three courses varying from beginners to advanced and we had a go at each, It was fantastic and really quite fast if you didn't brake much. Dave spent most of the course on two wheels as he wasn't breaking enough and nearly came out on a couple of the turns. Went to see Matai a Maouri show at night where you see the Maouri warriors marching through the forest with flaming torches then they come down a short stretch of river in a traditional maouri carved war boat a waka tauâ, it was realy impresive and a little bit scary. The Maouri can be such a fierce race when they need to be and I think they like to show that off. Their cheif gave an amazing talk about their history and traditions and they danced and showed off fighting techniques. Then after the show we all went to the eating house and here we all sat down and ate Hangi which is a tradition Maouri dish where the food is cooked in the ground in the Hot steam from the geothermals. It was fantastic the meat was so tender and sucqulent. A really fantastic night!

02 The Maouri show.

The following day we went to Hells Gate a geothermal park and Mineral spring baths. Some of the pools and boiling springs are almost 180 degrees, We also saw the famous bubbling Mud pools and a hot waterfall. After a very informative guided tour we relaxed in the hot mud baths and got properly coated in mud hoping to benefit from it's proclaimed wonderful properties. After a short while and a few funny photo oppitunities we got into the showers and got clean again and have to admit did have fantasticly smoth skin, but we all smelt slightly. Had to catch the coach to Lake Taupo the following day.

03 All of us with our little Mauri friend

04 Ted on his way to the Luge.

05 Dave and Suzy ready to Luge.

06. Dave being cooked at Hells gate.

07. Suzy near the boiling pools.

08. Dave at Hells gate.

09 Dave and Ted.

10 Hells gate hot Waterfall.

11. The famous bubbling Mud.

12. It's like being on an alien planet.

13. Consider yourself lucky pictures don't smell.