New Zealand (2) - Whitianga & Rotorua - Sea, sand and haka

Well I have finally had time to update the blog. On Tuesday morning we got the Kiwi Experience coach from Auckland to Whitianga (Mercury Bay). The driver stopped at some wonderful little beaches; the hot pool one was particularly memomarable as there is a hot spring that is seeping through the ground bringing warm water that you can lay in. I played some touch rugby with some of the lads on the coach while Sam sun bathed with the girls. That night we stayed in the Turtle Cove hostel; me and Sam were given our own shed for the night which was very pleasant and quiet.

On Wednesday, we got on the coach yesterday and went to the Window Tunnel walk, followed by Matamata (The home of the Hobbiton set from LOTR and Hobbit films), and finally arrived at Rotorua. The window tunnel walk took us through old gold mining tunnels followed by huge open gorges; very green and very beautiful. Matamata is a small town with nothing there other than the LOTR references. Rotorua is the cultural centre of the North Island and is important to the Maori population. There is a lot of geothermal activity, and stinks as a result. On Wednesday night we went to a Maori cultural evening where we had a traditional feast and was entertained with haka and music. So far so good. There is some flooding in the North of New Zealand which has caused a lot of travellers to change coaches. This has meant that the coaches are fully packed; me and Sam are hoping to be able to stay in some places a little longer, but have to wait and see. Today, we are doing zorbing and black water rafting....Hopefully without injury, but Sam is involved.