Day 70 - Rotorua

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Got up early for the Kiwi Traveller bus to Rotorua. This was to be our first taste of Kiwi driving as the lady driver was on a mission; speeding, tailgating and generally rushing to our destination, which was good because we must have got there in record time. The nice scenery passing swiftly by looked much like the rolling hills of England. When we arrived in Rotorua there was an overwhelming whiff of rotten eggs, the lovely aroma of sulphur which escapes out of the ground all over this highly active geothermal area. We stay at probably the coolest themed backpackers I've ever seen, Cactus Jacks! It is decorated like an old western town, complete with a saloon, jail house, and old barbers shop, which is where we stayed. We walk the short (5km) distance to Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve (Te Puia) to see the Pohutu and Prince Of Wales Feathers geysers, thermal mud pools and lakes. There is also a small reconstruction of traditional Maori buildings. Unfortunately we couldn't see any Kiwi birds in their dark enclosure, they are noctural. Later we ate fish & chips, did some washing and slept and squashed dozens of little greenflys in the room before giving up and sleeping under mozzie nets, just in case.

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