Pukehangi

For some reason on this trip we are usually both awake by 6am, mind you in common with other people over here we do go to bed earlier than usual.
There are another couple staying at our B&B who we met at breakfast this morning. They are from New Jersey and are huge Hobbit aficionados and are this evening not only doing the tour we did yesterday but having dinner there, we look forward to hearing all about it.
This morning we visited Wai O Tapu which is about 30 minutes drive south of Rotorua. It is described as a thermal wonderland and that sums it up quite well. This area is still owned by the Maoris and has been formed by various earthquakes over thousands of years and is quite extraordinary. There are craters with water bubbling and steam rising giving off a quite unpleasant sulphur smell. The water temperature can rise to as much as 100 degrees centigrade. A few photos are attached but they cannot do it justice.
There is also a geyser which they set off at 10:15 each day. This was discovered by convicts working in the area who found the water was hot so started to do their washing in it. When they put some detergent in the geyser erupted so that is what the staff do for us tourists. A very worthwhile trip.
We returned to Rotorua which is quite a large town and very geared up for tourists particularly backpackers. It sits on the edge of Lake Rotorua which is one of the largest lakes in the country. It was quite cold and drizzly walking round but we have found with the weather over here it changes rapidly, one moment it is overcast and you think that’s it for the day and suddenly the sun’s out again and blue sky.
Tonight we had dinner at Stratosfare a restaurant that you reach by cable car and the views from the restaurant over the town and lake are spectacular. The meal was a buffet with an excellent choice of food.
We leave Rotorua in the morning and fly down to the nation’s capital, Wellington, which we’re looking forward to.Läs mer