Rotorua - a Muddy Stinky Day

From Waitomo, we were off to spend the night near Tauranga at Warrens sisters home. But en route we had scheduled a stop at Rotorua. Mike & I had been here back in 1989, and so were knew to expect the sulyphourous smell (that's not my description - that's the tourist-ized phrase for sulpher stink).

We visited Hells Gate - an accurate description for the surroundings. We saw not only Hells Gate, but also Sodom and Gomorah (two boiling pools of sulphurous mud), the Devils Cauldron, Devils Throat and more. Less goulish names included the Map of Australia, sulphur crystal valley, the mud volcano and the cooking pool where the Maouri cooked their food.

The temperatures were upward of 120 degrees C. This is possible due to the minerals which are in the waters which raise the boiling point above that of water.

We all shared in a mud bath in the healing muds, and then followed up with a soak in the hot sulphur waters and a shower. Left our skin silky smooth - but we still stink 2 days later!

We also did a Maouri carving - Kyle
is seen here working on his. Afterwards we followed up with cold one at the Belgian Bar in Rotorua where Mike had a lovely Belgian Chimay (his annual Christmas gift from George). We also passed by the Pig and Whistle - a Burlington mildly famous pub also - and Mike felt compelled to take a photo!

And then we were off to Warrens sisters place to meet up with the Birds and the Beards!