Rotorua - Sulphur City

We opted for a local firm for car hire- and picked up our “Sunny”. The New Zealand car market is filled with used cars brought in from Japan. Our little dream had 66,250 km on the odometer.

Our drive took us from Auckland, through Hamilton and Cambridge. We arrived in Rotorua – known as “Sulphur City” -and dropped our bags at the B&B. The city and surround have the most energetic thermal activity in the country- with bubbling pools, gurgling hot springs, geysers and horrible sulphur smells. We took the 2:00 tour at the Maori Center- with an excellent Maori guide. He spent time explaining the Maori customs before a walk through the hot springs.

The walk through the fields of mud pools and geysers was eerie. The guide assured us that this was the safest place to be—since the earth has got places to let off steam. With steam coming from everywhere- golf courses, fields- it was a little hard to believe.

We found an Indian restaurant for dinner and headed back to the B&B. We had a fitful night of sleeping-the mattress was so soft that we finally put it on the floor.