Rotorua

Rotorua is probably the epicenter of all the volcanic activity in NZ so much so that it's nicknamed "Sulphur City". Yup it smells like rotten eggs and bad farts here all the time, but the locals are so used to it they don't smell it. Man it's bad! We went to "Lake Rotorua" for a gander tonight and to have a look at the black swans that swim on it. We also went to "Kairau Park" - this park is an area with a huge amount of volcanic activity (actually as recent as 2003 where huge craters appeared spewing mud, ash and steam - the locals all just came, had picnics and watched. Weird but I guess if you live here that's what you do), it's full of bubbling mud pools and lots of steaming craters and a big eerie looking volcanic lake. It's like a time bomb ticking waiting to go off.


Alan here - Since arriving in NZ I had heard and seen a lot of publicity about something called a zorb that you do in Rotorua and I have to say I was intrigued. A zorb is basically a large inflatable sphere that you crawl inside and then you roll down a hill!!! Yup imagine a gerbil in a ball and you're there. Sounds like a blast ? You better believe it. There are a few options that you can do when you go zorbing - wet or dry and straight down the hill or a zig zag. I spoke to the guys who run the place and went with the wet zig zag zorb - they put you in the sphere then throw a bucket of cold water over you and send you zig zaggind down the hill. It was so much fun, just like being in a washing machine. You have no idea what way is up and just keep tumbling around laughing like a hyena the whole way down. If anyone gets a chance to do them (they are all over the world check out www.zorb.com) then you simply have to do it.



We went to the "Polynesian Spa" where we just sat in lots of different spa pools ranging in temperature from 38 - 42 degrees right by the lake apparently these pools are filled with lots of natural materials that have health giving properties.

We left Rotorua about 9am and headed out to see "Lady Knox Geyser" this geyser erupts at 10.15am everyday, it is however induced by putting some chemical soap agent into it which cause the natural water pressure to explode, i was not impressed by this, i think Al slightly was. We then went to "Wai-O-Tapu" the thermal wonderland where we saw mud pools, craters, crater lakes. The most spectacular place here was the "Champagne Pool" it was hot and steaming with the most magnificent orange boundaries also here was the "Devils bath" which was green in colour - Al named it "HIBS POOL" in honor of them thrashing Rangers 3-0.



We went to see "Huka Falls" at it's peak it throws over 200,000 ltrs of water a second. Also had a dip in a natural spa pool, the stream flows into the Waikato river which also powers the Huka Falls. Excellent way to spent the afternoon.


After our hard day we decided it was off to the pub and rounded up all the troops off the bus, we went to mulligans irish pub and ended up the the holy cow bar / club, enough said about that, those who have been will understand, excellent night though!