We took a chartered bus down to Rotorua, a small town in the central North Island of New Zealand. Rotorua is famous for being built around a geothermal hot spot. It's full of geysers, as well as hot springs. Now, with all the sulphur in the area, the first thing you notice is... it smells like eggs.
HOWEVER! It is still a tourist destination. It's set on a picturesque (totally mis-spelled that) lake, and surrounded by mountains and farmland. Upon our arrival we went to our hostel and checked in, and then stumbled around a nearby geothermal park until dinner time. At this park, we found a covered foot bath, filled with naturally heated mineral water. People communally wash their feet in it. It's really cool, and your feet feel happy afterwards (or at least mine did). We grabbed some dinner and then looked for some evening entertainment.
FUN FACT: Rotorua has ZERO nightlife. Eating IS the nightlife. However, we did find a movie theatre, and watched a movie.
We woke up the next morning and left to find a breakfast location. This is when we found Milly's all day breakfast! What a wonderful place! We visited there several times! The food was basic, but really good. From there, we donned our rain gear, and trudged off into the weather (yes, it poured the first two days). We walked around the Rotorua museum where we learned about the history of the town, and about the local culture. After that, we took a nearby path which led us through the lakeside geothermal fields. Despite the rain, it was probably the most beautiful experience I've seen. Being surrounded by white smoking rocks, and thick bubbling mud on a rainy day may sound a bit dull, but I couldn't beleive how in awe I was of this barren landscape. Due to the rain, the Octopus did not have a chance to explore as much.
On the third day, the Octopus, Heather and I took a bus out to Rainbow Springs Wildlife refuge and Kiwi Encounters. It's kinda like a zoo, except that it also displays the native plants of New Zealand. At rainbow Springs they also raise Kiwi eggs. This gives the young birds a 70% better chance at surviving in the wild. I was really impressed with the work they were doing to help strengthen the Kiwi population. Since Kiwi's are a bit photo shy... we took a picture with this giant Kiwi statue...
After visiting the Kiwi's, we took a stroll through the New Zealand Countryside to go ZORBING!
For those who don't know what zorbing is. It's a huge air filled bubble, that they put you inside of, and then roll you down a hill. If this isn't awesome enough... they also put water in it. It's like a waterslide... on spin cycle! The ride lasts maybe a minute at best, but was a blast!
On the final day in Rotorua, we hiked to the Red Wood Forest. I'm always amazed at the natural beauty of Red Woods, and walking through the forest was relaxing. (Kinda the point of the vacation). Of course, Red Woods are HUGE! You need multiple people just to hug them. We then headed back into town, and took a bus back to Auckland.
If you enjoy the diverse beauty of nature, or the rush of Adrenaline, or if you just really like the smell of eggs... Rotorua is a great place to visit. I would go back there... but remember to bring a book or something to read in the evenings!
