Blogs from Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 96

Well, spa was fully booked, so am having one early tomorrow morning, nice full body massage! So instead tonight I have just seen Bay of Plenty Steamers vs North Harbour at the the Rotorua International Rugby Stadium (If you can call it a stadium) It's mainly terraces with one main stand. Was an amazing match, got to see Jonah Lomu acting as 'Water Boy' for his team (Harbour). Also, No one told me I was supporting the relegation/foot of the table strugglers! BOP are one place off the foot of the table! Arrive in Auckland tomorrow, circuit complete except for Bay of Islands.... read more

Arrived in Rotorua early today, as was only a short trip up from Taupo. Having checked in to Base Backpackers (NOT Hotrocks this time), went off to see the Rainbow Springs which, incidentally were really really nice, got given a headset of information to listen to and got to see lots of native birds, and also the Turatara! After that I travelled up to agrodome with Courtney and we did a farm tour, got to see lots of sheep(!), and feed some alpaccas (have I spelt that right?). We also got to taste some kiwifruit wine (dry but sweet really bizarre but nice), and some honey which were both produced on site. Then to end our tour we saw some more sheep and....................ran over one! Total accident sheep had got itself between tractor and trailer while ... read more

Set off from Turtle Cove for Rotorua at 8.25am! Stopped in Hobbiton! Typical Tourist picture by the village sign etc! Onwards to Rotorua! Went to the Gondola and Luges before checking in. The view was spectacular, and even more so from the skyswing which launches you at 150-200kph over the view! Not being one to love heights having been strapped in and winched to the top ready for release, I had the release cable! IE I had to take my hands off the hand bars to let us go.....Ahhhhhhh! The luges though were amazing, a need for speed, was a bargin thrill! Booked into Hot Rocks backpackers, and will now never go there again. My room was infested with cockroaches and the less than welcoming reception staff were not interested in the slightest! The only pplus ... read more

- FOOD: More good NZ pies - AREA: Lovely park with a sulphur lake which becomes gay prostitution and drug dealer area by night. Te Whakarewarewa - fake Maori village with free concert of dancing and singing, kiwi house, geysers and mud pools. Ohinemutu village with a church with a stained glass window where it looks like Christ is walking on water. - PEOPLE: Anal and jobsworthy 'Superloo' woman and lady on hostel reception. Tattooed Maoris performing hongi and kapa haka - WEATHER: Sunshine Fri 5th: We woke and took in the glory of the park we were in. Huge with a sulphur lake steaming (and ponging) away nearby and a little thermal pool where old ladies were bathing their feet. The morning was spent discovering how anal and jobsworthy some of the NZ population can ... read more

This morning we woke up to go to a place called the Agrodome. Ashley said that it had to do with farm animals and that kinda thing so we were not too excited about it. We went inside this huge building that was similar to a barn and noticed about 30 different sheep eating on the sides of the benches. Soon this huge Kiwi came out and began talking about sheep. Than one by one the sheep came up to the stage and stood infront of their scientific name (species). This was pretty cool and then the guy brought out all kinds of farm animals and got a few volunteers to milk one of the cows on stage. It was hilarious when he gave them a demonstration by pulling hard on the cow's tit and ... read more