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Today mom did laundry while I got ready and then I went for a walk while she got ready and we met up on the main street in Rotorua, called Tutanekai. We drove to the Rotorua museum and learned more about the volcanic activity in the region, the Maori, and the European settlers. We climbed a tower and had a 360 view of the government gardens, lake Rotorura, and one of the many geothermic areas. In the basement we learned about the mud baths that were very famous here up until the 1960s. People came from all over the world in hopes the magical mud would cure their illnesses.
After the museum, we stopped back at the hotel to get my memory card for my camera and then we headed out to the Kuirau Park, which is a geothermal area. We saw bubbling ponds, lakes, and mud. The water was bubbling up all over the park with large clouds of hot steam. Almost the whole North Island smells of sulfur and the locals say you get used to it, but we haven’t yet. It smells like rotten eggs. I don’t think we’re going to want eggs for a while.
We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant and then headed back to the hotel to check out the pool/spas. I wore a huge t-shirt over my bathing suit, which got me some weird looks but oh well and mostly hung out in the geothermal spa pool, which is really dirty looking, but it’s the minerals in the water that makes it look like that. We also went in the dry sauna, but I felt like I couldn’t breathe so I left. The pool area was really nice! It was dimly lit and decorated to look like it was outside, although it wasn’t. It had a heated pool, the geothermal spa, and another regular whirlpool spa, as well as 2 saunas and three private spa pools.
Now we’re relaxing in our room. Mom is working on puzzles and coughing a lot because there was dairy in her dinner and she’s allergic. I’m writing this blog and wondering what everyone’s doing at home. It’s 9:24PM here and 5:24AM at home so I guess most of you should be sleeping.
I’m not really sure what’s going on at home with the whole Swine Flu thing but people are starting to panic
See the kitty???
It was right next to a boiling puddle!!!! here. There are several cases of it in Auckland (where we’re flying home from) so we’re suspecting to have some trouble when we get back in the states…although I read online that the US is actually (and not surprisingly) reacting pretty calmly to the whole thing. The original outbreak in New Zealand occurred on a flight from LA to Auckland, which was almost us. But we’re fine and I suspect we won’t have too much trouble getting back into the country. If they see my mom coughing, they’ll probably fly us out of here for free!
Ashley
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In Kuirau Park, we soaked our legs in a public hot pool. Ashley spotted a kitten warming itself near one of the hot ponds, but I warned her customs would never let us bring it into the country. Thank goodness! Two pets are enough already!
Dave R., if you come to New Zealand next Spring, there is a marathon here in Rotorua tomorrow that you could run. They run around Lake Rotorua every year at this time. At the Italian restaurant this evening, there were a couple dozen marathoners chowing down on pasta. Many are staying at our
hotel, Novotel, which is only two blocks from the restaurant.
Tomorrow, we’re going to Whatkatane, which is on the Bay of Plenty. Weather permitting, we’re taking a six-hour boat excursion to White Island, home of New Zealand’s only live marine volcano.
Nancy
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In my defense, I do NOT think 2 pets are enough…since we’re capable of handling more…but I was not planning on attempting to smuggle the kitten in. I just felt bad for it because I was worried it was going to fall in the hot water or get hunted. Yes, they HUNT cats here. I can just see Kathy’s jaw dropping right now. Although they only hunt the wild ones…and only in the areas where penguins are trying to breed because the cats kill them. But still. And it was sooooooooooo cute. It was curled up in the steam. Riley would be soooooo jealous. I miss her!
Ashley
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Kortni
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Awww kitty!!! I vote for smuggling it, Ash! I wonder if some how my roomies wouldn't be allergic to a kitty from another hemisphere.... ;-D