Kia Ora from the North Island

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Well, I said goodbye to Elizabeth in Wellington Monday morning. She flew to Sydney to catch a flight back to L.A. while I flew north to Auckland just in time to catch a 4 hour bus ride to Rotorua. Rotorua is a natural spa destination with lots of opportunities to learn about the Maori culture and volcanic activity. Steam escapes from cracks and crevices in thermal parks, streets and gardens-it is everywhere. The steam drifts let off a very distinctive smell of sulphur and it takes about 24 hours to get used to it. I had the chance to view some of the volcanic landscape in the form of hissing geysers, bubbling mud pools and crater lakes of boiling water just outside the city centre at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Other tourist attractions include adventure thrills, fishing, and farming but I spent my time in the spa trying to catch up on some much needed rest and relaxation. Wai Ora Spa and Wellness Centre offers a unique mud bath spa experience unlike any other bath. I would recommend spending the money to take the geothermal walk and mud bath here instead of Wai-O-Tapu. It was a much more personalized visit. Rotorua is a great spot to catch up on some reading, journaling and sleep.

FYI: Elizabeth took all of the South Island photos back to Colorado to share with friends and family. That means she has been updating my blog and will continue to catch up until you see segments of our entire journey. Until then, enjoy glimpses of my last hours in New Zealand.

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Photos

The Silver Fern.
A symbol on most (all but one)professional sports teams in NZ.