Rotorua and around

Well, we arrived here after continuing on the Pacific Coast Highway, which was certainly scenic, some beautiful beaches and headlands, we even made time for a paddle and a lie on the beach at last! We passed the 2000kms mark today; h'mm, no champagne appeared!

The smell found us first, it was clear we were getting near to Roturoa but it wasn't as bad as I had heard it was and you soon failed to notice it at all.

We had a good wander around the town, hunting out a restaurant for later on; walked through the Government Gardens, with mud pools gurgling and splashing away and then went to find the Polynesian Spa where we thought we might spend some time the following day.

We wandered back to our motel and jumped in the pool at a cool 35C for a while and then went out for dinner at the Pig and Whistle, which was quite raucous; some poor guy celebrating his birthday with a loads of women who were determined to embarrass him by singing to him. The food was good and the beer better!

We woke up next monring to RAIN, just pouring down, so turned over and went back to sleep for a while; it cleared up eventually and we set off for breakfast and the Polynesian Spa. We called into 'The Mad Dog' for food and chose to have chunky toast....oh yes, it was chunky all right, over an inch thick and we could have shared a plate of it, there was loads, but we made a heroic effort and ate it all; we also discovered why The Hatton Estate were making wine in bottles labelled 'Mad Dog', clearly just to sell it at that restaurant...there were poems and ditties all over the place there, on the walls and backs of chairs but my favourite was....'The boy stood on the burning duck, which was a shame as it was on the BBQ'!

Oh what a hard day we had after that; several hours lazing at the Spa, in pools of 36C, 38C, 40C and 42C; it drizzled periodically but it didn't worry us, I don't think I've ever been so clean! We managed to stagger out of the pools after a few hours to replenish our fluid levels and sat and read in their very comfy lounge for a while and then, oh what hardship, back to the water, just to be certain we got our money's worth, you understand! Off back to the hotel later, getting very wet en route as the drizzle turned to pouring rain, but I guess we won't shrink, so never mind.

A quick trip out for dinner to a pizza restaurant and the end of a really busy day!

Moving on tomorrow to Lake Taupo, although the weather forecast is not good, so we shall see what happens.