Rotorua - 23 & 24.9

Yesterday (the 23rd) I did not do much. The usual routine of packing and check-out in the morning. Used the internet for a bit to upload photos and then headed to town to catch the bus to Rotorua. It is raining - good day to sit in a bus :) Bus ride was 4 hours and there were few stops on the way. Arrived in Rotorua at 5 and I had Maori concert scheduled for 6.

Tamaki Maori village was the location we were taken. We got to see the local Maori village, their songs and dances, there was a huge dinner made on hot rocks just as it was during old times. The show was a bit too commercial just as the village setup and all the rest. But I guess that is what it takes as the culture is being preserved only commercially nowadays. Food was good and it was still interesting to hear the stories told during the show.

Also got to meet the people on our bus and it was good to hear about their experiences of what they have done and how has their trip been. As I said before, that is my favourite part :) There was a lady from Canada who came over with her daughter, for now they are traveling for couple of weeks and then the daughter will be working for a year on south island - at a chocolate factory!!! That would be fun!

So for today I had 2 plans: Te Puia and Hells Gate :) First a bit of introduction about Rotorua (as I love doing ya know) :D

Rotorua is New Zealand's most dynamic thermal area with spurting geysers, steaming hot springs and exploding mud pools. City smells like eggs :) Due to the sulphur from the thermal areas. Apparently this is one of the most visited locations in the whole northern island! It is also important to note that today 35% of the population is Maori.

Now Te Puia is one of the most famous geyser parks in Rotorua, it is located a bit out of the city though. It has wonderful walks and main attractions being 500+ springs, most famous being Pohutu which erupts up to 20 times a day and as high as 30 meters. This location is also home of the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. I also visited kiwi house here and got to see that peculiar shy bird running around during it's morning exercise :)

Second activity for the day was Tikitere & Wai Ora Spa, known as Hell's Gate :) There I took the walking tour and saw the largest hot water fall in Southern Hemisphere, mud volcano, geothermal mud and sulphur lake. Why I went there was to enjoy the much spoken about mud baths. It was good of course, but when they say SPA, I get totally different expectations of what it is going to be like. It was very very basic and there was no SPA feeling whatsoever. Water and mud was all natural and very nice of course, especially considering the cold rain that was coming down mercilessly the whole day.

So ok, in the mud bath we were allowed to be only for 20 minutes due to the exfoliating effect, then icy cold shower followed :) Then we got to spend however long we wanted in Sulphur Spa, this consisted of 2 basic pools with muddy water, one was 39C and the other 41C. I spend probably about 1.5h total in there.

On my way back I met a couple who were on their honeymoon, the trip had been organized by their families - the trick was that they found out on their wedding day that they will be traveling for the next 3 weeks, departing the next day :) And the itinerary was not told, now they are opening a golden envelope every day to find out what they will be doing the next day :D How cool is that? I'd like a present like that one day :D :D

Getting back to the hostel I tried to do everything in my power to get rid of the eggy smell of my skin - to no result :) I guess it just has to wear off with time :)

As it is absolutely pouring outside I'll fill my time with watching some movies and keeping hot tea close by at all times :) Tomorrow morning I'll take a bus to Waitomo!