Rotorua - mountain biking Mecca?

Well, according to what Dave’s heard it is! We left Napier around 9am to head for this “Mecca” 😜! Stopped along the way at Lake Taupo - a lake created by a volcanic eruption over 26,000 years ago, which is about the size of Singapore and actually more of an inland sea than a lake! We continued on to Rotorua, in an area known as the Bay of Plenty, but before making it to town, stopped at Mountain Biking Rotorua so Dave could check out the trails and get some information for the ride he’s booked tomorrow. Chatted for a while with a very helpful local named Zac, who passed on lots of his knowledge and pointed out some of the best tracks (trails) for Dave to ride! We then drove into town and found the city centre and tourist info to get some maps. Walked around the pretty downtown area for a while, had a quick lunch and by the it was time to check into our hotel. We have a lovely view of Lake a Rotorua from our room.

After settling in, we took off on foot to explore the nearby park and lakefront area. Rotorua is a town created by another volcanic eruption thousands of years ago, and is known for its major geothermal activity, including geysers and hot mud pools. Walking along the lake, we witnessed bubbling, steaming pools and the distinct smell of sulphur, due to the hydrogen sulphide emissions. As we walked along further, the smell diminished and the lake became clearer with more bird life and lovely tree lined trails.

After a long walk, we came back to the hotel to get ready to go downtown for the weekly Rotorua night market. We got down there just after 6pm, and.... nothing!! No street market, no crowds - hmmm! We asked a lady who was just closing down the Starbucks (yes, they close at 6 here??!!), and she said the market was cancelled because of the threat of heavy rain and lightening storms! 😳. It was a little cloudy, but warm, and not a raindrop or lightening bolt in sight, but, oh well! We continued down the road to a place called Eat Street - a whole covered city block chock full of restaurants and bars - and an amazing vibe! We stopped at Macs Steakhouse for dinner, and after that, went across the road to a brew pub where Dave had a great dark beer and I had a glass of wine. Walked back through town to our hotel - Dave will be mountain biking tomorrow so wants to get a good sleep. Me - maybe some shopping and a manicure!! 😂😂😜Read more