Day #4, Windows Walk

Wendy and I had a lovely time sitting on the beach at Piha, eating our tasty lunch and watching the gulls play around us. But we had some driving to do! Man, this is a much bigger island than I thought it was...we had been logging in some major hours in the campervan! But off we went in search of a cool hike mentioned in our book *SCRMW called the "windows walk" in the Karangahake Gorge. We drove on flat plains for a long time southeast of Auckland, with views of the Coromandel Mountains in the background. Past Paeroa, home of their native bubbly drink L&P (which I thought was yummy, but Wendy wasn't convinced--of course, I was half delirious, so maybe that swayed my opinion?). Finally made it to the Gorge where the hike led us through mining tunnels, walking on the old mine tracks into the darkness.


Every now and then, the rocks opened up into a large opening overlooking the gorge, walls steep but lush with vegetation in places. The river looked very small below.


I didn't know mining occurred in NZ, the signs said that quartz was mined to extract gold. That seems odd...but then again, my fever was creeping back up there and I could have imagined pink elephants dancing in the creek, so don't take my word for it.

UGH!! I was sooooo sick that I couldn't even muster the energy to hike on a flat surface, that is pathetic. I just wanted to feel better so I could more fully enjoy my trip. Blah! Further we drove, past the Bay of Plenty, past flat arbors where kiwi fruit grew on top, on our way to Rotorua ("RotoVegas" as the locals call it--quite the touristy area, but also home to spectacular geothermal activity, and hey, we all know the science nerd in me LOVES that sort of thing...).

Finally made it to Rotorua (very stinky town!! Lots of sulfur coming up from the earth's bowels) and I completely crashed in our hotel (another hotel, we still hadn't gotten the chance to sleep in the van due to my sickness) with the electric blanket all the way up. I hoped like crazy that my fever would break and I would begin feeling better when I woke up the next day...