Dutch oven

So yeah, Rotorua stinks. 

Literally.

Rotorua is known for it’s geothermal activity, which means there is an excess of sulfur compounds that are released into the environment.  It’s all quite scientific and of course everyone warns you about it, but Jesus Tapdancing Christ, it is absolutely rancid.  I don’t think you can’t prepare yourself for it, you just have to experience it. 

I would liken the smell to a soft boiled egg that has been left in a hot, sunny car for a week and then opened in a fraternity house bathroom after a Saturday night kegger. 

Wait, even that isn’t bad enough.

We’ll just end it with: it’s smelly. 

Aromatics aside, Rotorua is an interesting place. 

We blew off the cave tubing experience because I’ve been fighting a sinus cold and Tim took pity on our busy schedule and let me sleep in.  Apparently we both needed it because we didn’t wake up until about 10.  Our goal was to get on the road by 6:30, so the tubing was out.  Timmy was bummed out. 

Instead, this morning we went to a place called Wai-O-Tapu (Maori for Sacred Water), a geothermic wonderland.  It’s known for it’s geyers, mud pools and hot springs.  Click here for the google image results to see what we saw.  It was a sight to behold.

We then hit up the gift store at the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and picked up a bunch of souvenirs. 

We then hit up the post office to declare and ship said souvenirs home!  Yeah – so if we got you something, you’ll get it at the end of January. 

 After a quick lunch, we went off to a mineral hot springs for a soak.  That was fun, smelly but fun.  They pump in mineral water from the giant lake.  When in Rome, right?

The Kiwi’s are so incredibly friendly.  Talk about hospitality…as Tim says, “Everyone has been stupidly friendly.”  We love it here.

Laying low tonight, not a lot going on as far as nightlife goes here in Smelly Town. 

We leave for Queenstown tomorrow morning, SUPER excited about headed to the South Island. We’ve got a winery tour, white water rafting, Fiordland’s Milford Sound air charter flight,  shotover jet and Tim’s going to bungy jump. 

Hope you guys are staying warm!

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