Last night, and day in Rotorua. I spent most of the day hiding indoors due to all the rain. I did however manage to have a walk around the town-not that there was much to it, but some intersting things to see on the way. I started at Rotorua Museum, which used to be an old bath house, govered by some bathologist (there really are such people) sent over from Bath, UK to make people in NZ better. It later became a night club, then caberet spot before being taken ...

Another sight seeing day-this time Taupo. First stop was Orakei Korako Thermal Village. A beautiful off the beaten track, thermal village complete with its own little boat to whisk you accross the lake to start the tour. I walked around teh park, wondering at the bubbling mud pools, venting cracks in the earth and famous Maori wishing cave with cristal clear blue water. After I had taken my fill of pictures I sped off to my next destination, Haka Falls. Haka Fal...

So now I have a base in Rotorua it's time to do some exploring...first up Waitomo. Waitomo means something in Maori about water, when they explained it I was standing in a cave 65m under the ground and I was very cold-cant quite remember it all! I drove for around 3hrs through amazing scenery of rolling green hills, dotted with the occasional sheep, lamb or cow. My first stop was a limestone arch, called the Mangapohue Natural Bridge, apparently 17m high-very pr...

Auckland again....drove back from Paihia with a couple of friends and checked back into the YHA (they actually asked me why I was back-not sure if thats a good thing or not?)...still waiting for camera-seriously tempted to buy a new one. The only thing that I have done to amuse myself these past two days is go to Climb Mount Eden, the sight of a now extinct volcano; a pretty walk up a windy hill track leading to great views over the city. I then spent the aftern...

So arrived in Paihia-not as touristy and horrible as I thought it would be. spent my first night settling in, then off exlporing on the second day. My first stop was the Waitanga Treaty grounds; where the Maori's and the British signed a treaty giving us the right to rule over New Zealand, and protect the different tribes that had signed up to the treaty-over 500 or so did in the North Island alone. I had a look around the British governer's house (James Busby ...