Steve's Trek : Rotorua

I’m moving quickly now to give myself two weeks on the South Island. There’s a ferry service that links the main lands that I’m currently traveling on. I normally don’t get seasick, but the slow rocking of such a large vessel is making me feel uneasy. Having partied too hard last night in Wellington, and then waking at 6am may have something to do with that. The view from the boat as the coast of New Zealand passes is nothing but surreal.

Back on topic with Rotorua which seems like months ago, but was a merely a week ago. I spent nearly the entire time there with a wonderful girl from Austria, and I wouldn’t have spent time with Natasha if she hadn’t yelled my name as I walking away from the hostel in Paihia. Arriving late in Rotorua, we checked out the Government Gardens in which the Rotorua Museum is located on, and ended the night with my favorite food, sushi.

Some parts of the lake smell like sulfur from the geothermal activity

Fred Wylie Statue in the gardens

The Rotorua Museum

I wonder where I’ll be, and who I’ll spend my birthday with, but today was her 27^th birthday. We had a birthday breakfast at a small café in town, and sat on a dock at Lake Rotorua. We talked for hours and enjoyed the perfect weather. It seems every town, regardless of size, has a market or event taking place, and this was no exception. You can’t resist walking through a flea market in another country to see what people are selling. In the evening we attended a Maori cultural performance. They expose you to the culture and tradition of the Maori people and conclude the evening with a dinner. They demonstrated various games, activities, dances and songs as you made your way around the tour. The dinner that is prepared for the group is cooked underground atop hot rocks. The meal served as a buffet with chicken, shredded beef, potatoes, fish, and other various foods. The activity cost 88$, but you felt it was worth it. They’re able to employ 150+ Maori, and the speaker thanked us for attending the performance.

Some paddle boaters

These two couldn't stand up to save their lives

Something always happening everywhere you go

Only one shot of the Maori cultural performance because I mainly took video

On the last full day we took a shuttle to hike the Waimangu valley. There is a more popular trail, but it’s more of a show as they chemically activate a geyser at the same time every day. The price was a bit cheaper for ours, and after seeing pictures from the popular trail, I’m glad we went to Waimangu. I think I captured some good photographs.