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 thermal spa, offering relaxing hot mineral spring bathing whilst most of the others in our bus headed to luging or zorbing. We had a relaxing morning making the most of the views from the 6 spring pools ranging from 36-42 degrees.

We finished the day in Lava bar where we had our free Mac and cheese along with a couple of drinks with others on our bus who were leaving the following morning.

There wasn't that much to do in Rotorua, we spent the following day relaxing before we visited Te Puia for some traditional culture. Strolling the long way round we walked past a huge geothermal boiling pool still used for cooking, pools of bubbling mud and arrived at the Pohutu Geyser. The geyser roared metres above us and sprayed us with hot steam; it's the largest active Geyser in the southern hemisphere. A highlight was eating eggs cooked in a boiling volcanic pool that our tour guide gave us; he also showed us how flax plants are woven and how people are still taught the art of carving whakairo. It was a great insight into the Maori culture.