Taupo & Turangi Day 9 - Wind, Take Us Away!

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Time to pack up and leave Rotorua. We were a bit sad about this. There is still so much to do and see, we didn't have enough time! But, as Jeff pointed out, we will come back. We were, however, able to explore the farm for a short time before we hopped into Pip to our next adventure. I was so very excited when I booked this place and seeing the absolute beauty in person did not disappoint! This farm is such a tranquil and peaceful part of the world. Our hostess, Jenny, was so welcoming and loved nothing more than a good gab. Sheep, cows, horses, chickens, dogs and beautiful country, could you ask for anything else? Regrettably, we had to go, no more sticks to throw Missy!

Off to Lake Taupo we went! The plan was to stop in Taupo, have lunch, then head on down to Turangi to check into our cottage and verify our activities for the day. We blew into Taupo and were taken away with the views of the lake! The size! The colors! The views! The WIND! Forget about keeping the hair looking purty...we stopped in at the local i-site to find out that we can't book our transport to the Tongarrio Crossing till the day before. They only accept bookings within 24 hours dependent on the weather situation. Fair enough, we'll check back tomorrow, but can you recommend a place to eat? Sure they can! Off to the Crafty Trout Brewery we went.

Apparently, Trout is big business here. And, you can't order it off the menu at any establishment. To eat some, you have to catch it! Dan, pack up and come on over, we found a place for you!

With beer and hard cider in hand we were enjoying the atmosphere of this trouty and German establishment. Our chicken and bacon pizza was fabulous and just what we needed to refuel. While chowing down I was pursuing all the brochures I snagged at the i-site, and discovered the the World's Coolest McDonalds was close by....uhm...really? Okay, we HAVE to check this out! With a rolling of the eyes (Jeff) we drove a couple of blocks to this establishment. (Hey, the guide books said we had to go, so we went!)

Attached to the playground is an old plane that you can climb up and eat your Macker's in! Apparently "Macker's" is the Kiwi version of Mickey D's, we heard on a tv commercial. With that sight seen, we took to the road again to find Turangi and then our cottage. We followed the lake south and then north up the west side. Our cottage is about 15 minutes out of town, up overlooking the lake...stunning views getting there.

Once checked into our new home for the next three days, we went back into town to check in with the white water rafting company. Yup, they had our reservations for tomorrow. I-site check in for food recommendation and High Tea booking on Wednesday. (Que rolling of the eyes by Jeff.) Dinner was had a tavern across the street from the i-site. Now, I will admit to some reservations about this place but was pleasantly surprised to have an amazing dinner! We agreed that our scale back home will not be pleased with us but we're on holiday, bring it on!

Quick stop at the market and back up the hill we went. The rest of the evening was dedicated to laundry, unpacking and just relaxing. Our next 2 days are going to be eventful and exciting, better rest up while we can!

Unfortunately, this cottage doesn't hav WiFi, I'm using our New Zealand phone to type this up. But, once we're in Wellington, we'll upload all best pictures of our time here! Stay tuned...

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