Day #5, spa and mud pool

Aaahhhh....time to relax! Wendy and I haven't been doing much relaxing because we've been trying to drive everywhere to see and do everything we want. It was time, after our hike, for a much-needed soak. Rotorua has a world-famous spa called the Polynesian Spa, renowned for its hot mineral pools that overlook the lake. Wen and I decided the cost was worth it--NZ$20 each for access to a number of pools to soak in, some very hot, some just warm, but all types of minerals to soothe the skin. You'll have to check out Wendy's blog for the "steamy" photos!! hehe. It felt great and what a choice view! Right on the Sulphur Bay preserve of the lake, home to various birds and shrubs that don't mind the smell. I highly recommend a soak, good for the bones and the skin. We left just as a busload of old folks rolled in...more on that phenomenon later.

We made our way south to see Mud Pool, a huge bubbling pit where the earth belched hot steam and spewed and splattered scalding mud. *SCRMW It was amazing, quite archaic, and a little on the silly side with all the "blurps" and "ploops" of the brownish-gray liquid. Check it out!



Things are quite laid-back in New Zealand, as the locals were drinking beer in their minivan in the Mud Pool parking lot. They were quite nice and friendly and they offered us beers as well. We prudes turned them down to be able to drive safely!

On the road again...we kept heading south and met up with Huka Falls, an impressive waterfall pounding aqua blue water through a 100 m basalt crevice. The Waikato River has cut through the rock and created an enormously loud but gorgeous flume.




Onward! We hit sparkling Lake Taupo, the largest freshwater lake in the Southern hemisphere. Who knew?! Lots of recreational fishing, apparently trout is the catch of the day every day.

A very cute little town, looks like good food, but we opted to keep on going and get to our campsite and eat there instead. Finally we stopped at a campground in Tokaanu outside of the Tongariro National Park. Tall mountains flanked the flat pasture where horses were feeding as the sun was going down. Some greasy fish and chips (ugh, my illness left me with an easily upset stomach--grease wasn't as tasty as when I first arrived) and we were finally setting up the bed in the back of our campervan, woo hoo!!! I was excited. The bed took up the entire back, the company included a nice comforter, two pillows, and there were even some way-cool lime green curtains!!


The campground offered hot mineral pools so Wen and I soaked once again, this time with elderly folks. We seem to do that a lot each year, hang out with the retirees. Why is that?!

Lovely swath of stars once again, jumped in the van before the mosquitoes could suck me dry and that was that. The campervan bed is quite comfortable, surprisingly enough! Just enough time for journaling and ipod listening before drifting off into sleep.