Thursday.

Taiura is delightful. Yet more super surf beaches, lovely harbour. On the drive down yesterday went along coast to Cathedral Coast. 45 minute walk down to the beach but worth the effort. Going back up was hard work! Also went to Hot Water Beach. The idea is that you hire a spade at an exorbitant cost from the locals. You then wait until the tide is right. You then dig a hole in the sand and make a sort of bath shape. You then sit in the hole and burn your butt. Not sure what the idea is - so chose not to indulge. Apparently the water comes from springs and gets very hot = some people will do anything for an adrenaline rush over here! Anyway, back to Thursday. Went over the harbour by ferry to Pauapui. Posh end of town, lots of boats and big houses. In the afternoon went house hunting, just to see how the other half lives. Then discovered I could afford a very nice big house on top of a hill overlooking the surf beach on one side and the harbour on the other. However, sense prevailed but it was good to see how far money would go in NZ.

Friday

Drove to Tauranga, long way down the coast to drop off person with whom I had been travelling. Drove on to Opotiki and stopped in bungalow overlooking the surf and the Pacific - tough life.

Sat

Over to White Island, an active volcano. Had some idea of what was to come when we were issued with hard hats and gas masks and given a safety talk on what to do if the volcano decided to blow. Apparetnly, it does it now and again without warning - comforting thought. The experience was awesome. The island is an ever evolving landscape of hissing fumaroles, lava bombs, gilttering crystals, rock formations and hot thermal streams. We went to the edge of the crater which is filled with very acidic pale green water - scary or what. From there you could see evidence of past eruptions and lahars. Steam hissed out of fissures in the earth's surface, sulphur bubbled and hissed and boiling water erupted from deep holes in the surface. Looking down on the scene was what I imagine Dante's Inferno must be like. There is still evidence of the old sulphur mining operation that took place until it was deemed uneconomical to continue. Fascinating experience.

Sun

Stayed in Whaktane. Played golf over a super links course with three guys. Grat fun and good company.

Mon/Tues

Stayed in Rotorua. Another fascinating town - if a tad smelly!. Went for a walk through a local park and saw fenced off steaming holes and mini geysers - makes a change from ducks on a pond. Apparently one of these geysers blew a couple of weeks ago - glad I wasn't there. Met up with a NZ lady I have been corresponding with by e-mail. Went to top of Mt Ngongotaha by cable car, very leisurely long lunch and then to Rainbow Springs, an area of natural springs, blue trout, kiwis and lots of local plants. Very peaceful amble through a delightful setting. In evening went to Maori village. Learnt about their history, saw a display of haka, native song and dance and had a hangi meal. Also the Maori welcome, touching noses. Apparently if you touch noses three times you are considered married! Unfortunately none of the handsome young Maori guys stayed around long enough. ... Excellent night.

Wed.

Drove to Hidden Valley., a village site (Te Wairoa) that was destroyed by a volcano in 1886. Excavations were started in the '30s to see what was there and some of the buildings have been excavated to show the extent of the damage. Ash was up to six metres deep in this village but other villages near the volcano were buried up to twenty metres deep and have never been excavated. Famous pink and white terraces that were one of NZs main attractions in the 1800s were destroyed. They had been described as the eight wonder of the world, made of silica dropping on stone over millions of years - took a very short time to destroy. The longer I am in this region the more my respect for nature and its sheer power, increases. Also went to Wairere Falls nearby. Spent evening in Polynesian Spa, a series of thermal pools, cascading down to the lake and getting incressingly warmer. Watched the sun set and the lights come on around the lake = good end to my stay in Rotorua.

Thursday

On to Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. This again is nature at it's spectacular best. Wai-p-Tapu means sacred waters and is NZs most colourful and diverse volcanic area. Drove through volcanic valley to get there = spellbinding scenery. The to Lady Knox geyser. At 10 15 every day it shoots up to 20 metres in the air. I wondered how it knew the time but man intervenes. Saoap power is shaken down the fissure in the rock and about five minutes later the bubbles start then there is a whoosh and off she goes. Apparetnly there was a local prison nearby and the hot water stream from the geyser was used by prisoners to do their washing. One of them threw some soap suds down the fissure and the rest, as they say, is history. The rest of the park was equally sensational = I'm running out of adjectives to describe this area - it's all awesome.

Friday

Spent last night and tonight in Taupo, on edge of the lake. Stopped on way to see Haku falls - 100 feet of river squashing through a small gap, quite special. In the afternoon went out for two hour sail on the Barbary, a yacht once owned by Erroll Flynn. Sailed to Maori carvings in rocks then had a really good sail back - I could get to like this sailing lark. TTFN