Crossing the Central Platau

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Hey,
I am in Rotarua and it smells... aweful. But before I get started, let me tell you how I got here. I was mentally and phzsically prepared to Hitchike from Coromandel to Rotarua and just see what happens and whether it would work. After all Coromandel is a small town and people heading out will be fairly likely to give you a lift. So I get up at 8am grab a quick shower and as I'm leaving the bathroom I see 2 girls preparing to leave. So casually I ask them where they were heading and as it turns out the y wanted to see Hot Water Beach (which I had wanted to see but just didn't get around to) and then head off to Rotarua!!!
I asked whether I could get a ride and they said that it would be no problem at all if I was willing to contribute to the gas money. Well I was willing toi that and so we had ourselves an agreement. Once again I learnt that just a little bit of friendliness and openness will actually see you quite a far way (literally).
Having scrapped the Hitchhiking idea I got in the car and off we were to Hot Water Beach. What is that you may ask. Well it's quite simple. When the tide receides it exposes a stretch of sand underneath which there are hot springs. So what you do is take a shovel (or borrrow one if you're just a backpacker who doesn't know anything) and dig yourself a hole... so they say. But finding these hot sprigs is much trickier than you'd think. So what you try to do is dig yourself a little hole just underneath someone who's found some scaulding hot water and let it run from his pool into yours. Easier sazd than done because the water does what water by the ocean tends to do... it comes in and destroys any kind of sand structure you build. In the end I was fairly happy with just standing in a half hole/puddle/stream of water running past and watch other people sweating to dig their own hole. When someone manages to discover is very own hot water spring its almost as if they've found oil.

So after this half success we went to Cathedral Cove (which is the most beatiful beach I've seen in my life) because the two girls hadn't been yet. Personally I didn't feel like doing the 2 hour hike again so I just stayed at the lookout. While relaxing in the sunshine I realised that in the rush of departure I had completely neglected my breakfast. Seeing as I had three eggs left I decided to ask in the little portable Cafe standing around if they'd be willing to make them for me in exchange for a purchase of 6,5$ They certainly were and so I had myself a wonderful breakfast of 3 pouched eggs, a cookie and a cappuchino to dip it in. Sitting there on the bench, eating my breakfast, overlooking the beach of Hahai, I realised that life probably wasn't gonna get much better than that. The feeling of freedom returned to me and I pondered on how lucky I was.

At this point I'd just like to say this:
Mum: Thank you so much for letting me take the year off so I could orientate myself and do this
Dirk: Thank you so much for convincing me back into doing this trip and supporting me
Dad: Thank you so much for having taken me travelling around the world all these years and giving me a passion for travelling.


Location has now changed to Taupo. For the first time on my travels I have completely free internet access. It's extremely slow, but beggers can't be choosers, right? So I'll continue with my report.

After having finally gotten onto the road heading for Rotarua I quickly realised that out of all the people who could have given me a ride to where I needed to go, these two American girls were going to take the longest time. Driving safely is one thing, but consistantly being passed by Log-trucks when you're in a 4 door car ,going up hill is an entirely different matter. Non the less we got there after a good 6 hour journey (the bus takes 2) and I deicded to go to the "Funky Green Voyager" Hostel. Ut turns pout that that was the best possible decision I could have made. The facilities were clean and comfortable, the staff super friendly and the owner spent a good part of his day wuth the guests. On my first night I spontaniously decided to treat myself to a night in the Spa. Some German girls in my room went and Phillip (a Danish guy who arrived with me) and me decided to scoot along with them. It was increddibly relaxing and after having discussed our life philosophies for 4 hours, sitting in the 42C hot water, the steam rising up into the night sky, overlooking the lak, we decided to head back. Completely realxed and happy with the world we passed a bar advertising live music. So after having gotten changed into some normal clothes we decided to go and check it out. This also turned out to be a very good decision. The 20$ entrance fee almost scared us off but fortunately we decided that we could allow ourselves some luxury. The band was called "1814" and happened to be one of the new rising Kiwi Raggea bands. The performance was top notch and when I looked around me I felt very white. 80% of the people there must have been Maori and after the performance was over I managed to get a fairly decent insight into the Maori mindset by talking to them for a bit.

So having gone to Taupo and copletely buggering up my travelling plan of seieng the west-coast I will now head down to Napier tomorrow to see the East-Coast. I will try to upload some pictures when I have a faster connection.
Will keep you posted

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Photos

Kayaks
Our guide pumping the water out of our Kayak after we tipped while trying to surf onto the beach