Yesterday we found the GREATEST thing of all time - the tourist office in Taupo ofers a list of FREE activities to do! We went to the Tinkers & Traders Fair (Tinkers are gypsies), watched people bungy jump (only a 40m jump, very not scary, suprisingly), found a Barn cafe with a wack of birds (Chickens, ducks, peacocks, silky chickens - definitely Asian, not necessarily Chinese- roosters, African turkey things and more crazy birds), bunnies, kittens, sheep & alpacas (cousin of the llama) running around which we could feed. We also hit the Aratiatia dam/rapids and somewhere else I can't remember...

We met up with the rest of the Auckland crew who had come down for the weekend after dinner for a swim in a hot pool (water temp was at 40 degrees +) and a relaxing drink. This morning we met Barbury Bill and went for a thoroughly enjoying 2 hour sail on Lake Taupo (which is 40m above sea level!) and learned loads about sailing! Now I want a sailboat too. So is life.

A quick taste session at the Wishart winery (their dessert wines were incredible!) and that was it, we were on the road to Napier. Much to my mother's pleasure, I didn't skydive in Taupo. No I didn't chicken out, I just didn't have anyone to go with or the funds right now (thrill seeking is pocket draining). Don't worry mom, I'll go yet.

I have fallen in love with Napier. It's an art deco city rivaling Miami for greatest concentration of art deco buildings in the world. This results from a 1931 earthquake which destroyed all the victorian buildings in the city. 2 years of rapid construction and voila - art deco city that is just charming! Only had a wander today, hope to do a walking tour tomorrow.

Will fill in more details in the future...

HAPPY EASTER! Hope the bunny finds you... I've been warned that he does not relocate for lost children. If he could just find my bank account I'd be happy...

I have 5:28 minutes left.

We are now in Taupo after being to hell, the moon and back in the last 24 hours. Yesterday we endedd up at Hell's Gate, a thermal park named by George Bernard Shaw, for a tour, mud bath & mineral spa. Today we went to Craters of the moon geothermal park in Taupo (free!) to see more of this craaaazy stuff. A science lesson will follow in the coming posts.

We also sawa Maori performance at another thermal village, Whakarewarewa (people live on the hot springs) yesterday and this am I went to the Rotorua museum, housed in the former Government bath houses which people came from all over the world to see in the early 1900's.

4 thermal parks later and I think I have this stuff figured out....

44 seconds

Welcome to Rotorua, the thermal springs capital of NZ.

Yesterday morning Sherilyn & I left Auckland and went down to Waitomo (wai means water, tomo means ground, "the place where the water goes into the ground") which is famous for it's limestone caves (some go for miles and are deep, and there are more to be discovered yet). We arrived just in time to pick up a 3 hour tour of one of the caves with a superb guide who informed us all about the countryside on the drive there (20 mins to that cave) and who was full of interesting tidbits (which I will use obnoxiously for the next few weeks to impress others with my caving expertise). When we got in the cave (the ceilings were a good 20 feet high at least) we hopped in raft and were immersed in the darkness floating down a river in the cave. Almost darkness - thousands of glowworms lit up the roof with their blue/green tails. It's actually their waste that glows once it meets with oxygen and works to attract their food. Although they look like slimy little worms, they are actually larvae that turn into flies and attract food using spider-like silk strands. Whatever you want to call them, the little green guy with a pajama cap on I had as a kid is much cuter. But these guys didn't require batteries which gives them some credit.

We ended up at a hostel that advertised itself as being in Waitomo but was 45km (an hour's drive) from there. Initial annoyance subsided once we realized we had gone from 6 people in a refrigerator box in the city centre to having a country farmhouse all to ourselves for the night. Plus this morning we were only a short drive from the Manakuri (Marakuni?) Falls which were a true natural beauty worth the trip. No trip to Waitomo is complete without a trip to the Museum of Caves and the Shearing Shed. Sheep? No way man, these were rabbits! Huge fluffy German Angora Rabbits! Well not huge once they were done with the poor little bugger!

On to Rotorua! (Roto means second, rua means lake, "the second lake" found when the area was settled in the 1400's). Due to some volcanic activity and other science-y stuff, there are hot pools all through the area. Ever see mud boil in the ground or steam come from a pond? Kind of looks like mom's gravy! We just got to walk through one of the parks which last "erupted" - mud, not lava - in 2001, made supper and now have to sit and plan our Rotarua activities for the next 2 days.

What have I done this weekend you ask? My question is what have YOU done?

Saturday morning I toured the K Road markets (consisting mainly of used clothes and books) then Pam, Beck, Sherilyn & I headed to Rangitoto for the afternoon. Rangitoto is only a 600 year old volcanic island in the Hairuki Gulf, a 20 min ferry ride from downtown. We climbed the 1 hour walk to the summit (now that was a hike, all on a rocky path, leaving some of us a wee bit winded) which was, I grudgingly admit, completely worth the effort to see the views of the city and the other islands in the gulf from the top. It was a perfectly clear day (sun beating on us as we hiked up was not necessarily appreciated) so we had some breathtaking views from up there. Literally, I couldn't catch my breath. I can't remember now exactly how high it is, but I think about 500m about sea level. That's not true at all, I just lied to impress you all. I really have no clue.

So, back to town we went to meet up with Scott and catch the Sky Tower as the sun went down. Sky Tower is the highest building in the Southern Hemisphere at 350-400m (I forget). CN Tower is the tallest building in the world (I really didn't know that) at 553m. Again, the clear skies made for wicked views and the setting sun added to it all. We only live about 2 blocks from the tower and discovered there are cameras all around the viewing decks that you can zoom in with and see super up close views of the city, including what our neighbours were having for supper. Pretty happy we live on the other side of the building...

Last night we decided to go to the ice bar, Minus 5. Everything (walls, seats, tables, sculptures, bar, glasses) is made of ice. You get "suited up" before you go in (parkas with hoods & mitts for everyone, boots for anyone in open toe shoes). Once in you can stay for only 30 mins or 3 drinks, whatever comes first, because drinking at that temperature changes the way your body responds to the alcohol in some way (for further information, please refer to your nearest polar bear for detailed explanation). In the bar we met a man who had an Island girl live with his family for 3 years. He visited PEI last year and, as it turns out, I worked with the girl's father in Souris last year. Small world? I beg to differ...

Today we were forced to visit a Wine, Food & Fun Festival prior to the rugby game for preparation purposes. When we got there we quickly realized it the emphasis was much more on the food and fun than the wine and that we were representing another generation... Ah well, the wine tent got a kick out of us and we quickly met up with some friends who also saw believed that since the wine got the highest billing on the ticket it deserved the most attention. It's all about priorities.

The rugby game was wicked and we had field level seats. It was the Blues & Waratahs playing (not the All Blacks) and I have no clue what league it is, but it was an awesome game, especially since the Blues, the hometown team, won 22-17. It was the fastest rugby I've ever seen and the crowd was so into it. The wave went around frequently and every time people just threw whatever was in their hand. Debris everywhere.

Now it's time to pack up my crap and get ready for tomorrow's adventure. You shall (hopefully) hear from periodically the next few weeks; sorry if the emails don't get replied to for a bit but please keep writing them! Oh, I also have a mobile now too if anyone cares to call or text (we are now 15 hours ahead of you). The number is (I may have the country code/first 5 digits wrong) 011 69 21 108 7663.