Rotten Rotorua

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Rotorua is known for geothermal activity, i.e. geysers, bubbling mud, hot springs, quite unlike anything I have ever seen!
Due to all this activity there is a lot of sulphur in the air, which means that the town stinks of fart. Seriously, it's quite disgusting, quite often a gust of wind will blow it right into your face. Jokes welcome.

Some of the hotels use the hot pools etc to power their hotels, very interesting!

With a friend, I went out to Waimangu Volcanic Valley. We took a boat trip around an Lake Rotomahana, which is made up of several craters formed in eruptions a hundred or so years ago. We then took a walk, with some hike aspects. through the rest of the volcanic landscape. There were disgusting looking white and yellow bubbling mud pools, but also beautiful green hot lakes, the water temperature was often very very hot which was very new to me!

In the evening we went to a Maori evening, which was possibly the most touristy thing I've done, maybe ever! We saw a "war" canoe, saw a show with songs and information about the Maori culture and Hangi food, which is cooked using the heat from the thermal activity. After this we were taken to see the Rainbow springs and some kiwi birds they were raising to be released. I was very pleased to see a live kiwi. much better than a stuffed one!

The next day was somewhat more relaxed and I visited Hells Gate Wai Ora spa. There were bubbling mud pools, more grey than the ones I'd seen before and obviously it absolutely stank of fart, once again... However, I then bathed in mud (no pictures sorry, I'm sure you wouldn't want to see either!), then in a 40C hot pool then had a massage. Bliss.

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