Saturday, leaving Rotorua and heading south, we travelled through an area reknown for geothermal activity. En route, we visited Waiotapu, a collection of smelly, boiling, erupting things. First, a boiling mud pit,then an active geyser which erupts every day at 10.15 (courtesy of the addition of some soap!) reaching a height of approx 30 metres - spraying water all over those watching. Finally, we walked around the park and saw lots of different geothermal activity - i.e. pools of bubbling mud which smelt of rotten eggs and ponds full of different minerals - magnificent in all their different colours.

After all this excitement we drove down to lake Taupo - the largest lake in NZ. We decided to be brave and freedom camp - which basically means we are not on a campsite but are very lucky to be parked right alongside the lake - what a view! and for free!! Today has been the hottest so far, so we swam in the lake to cool down - warm and clear and scenic - fab! After a quick shower in the van (very weird to be showering in a car park?!?) we went for a beer about 100 yards away and watched a cracking sunset - it's a hard life! Off to bed now.