We had a long journey ahead to get back to Auckland. We stopped in Taupo for the night but this time instead of staying in Base we stayed in Urban Retreat which was so much better with free wifi and a cheap bar we couldn't complain. The following day we stopped via Rotorua and visited Rainbow Springs Nature Park which has it's own Kiwi Bird sanctuary. I learnt a lot about Kiwi birds and the importance of the Kiwi bird conservation. Most kiwi chicks don't surviv...

Our next stop was Rotorua, we were warned that the sulphur smell would be overpowering. Our bus driver, Andrea, gave us a quick tour of town before making our way to our hostel, passing the museum in the government gardens and the Polynesian spa, a magnificent yellow outcrop with volcanic grey mud pools overlooking the lake. The weather was still fine, so Bobbi, Sam, James and I headed to visit the Polynesian Spa, New Zealand's leading internationally acclaimed ...

I was looking forward to visiting the Tamaki Maori Village most of all, to experience the traditional customs of the Maori people. On the bus we selected our chief, James, and had 10 minutes to prepare a song, that we were going to sing to the Maori guides on arrival into their village. When we arrived, we received a private traditional welcome and then sang 'Stand by Me' which went well but we forgot the majority of things we had prepared on the bus! The Maori ...