Leaving Auckland yesterday we went up Mount Eden - a volcano - there were cows in the crater! Spent quite a long time on the bus stopped at Cathederal Cove and had a 45 minute coastal walk to get to a little private beach where a huge cove had formed making a hole all the way through a rock - a fatter version of Durdle Door.
I got up early this morning, about 7am so that I could get over to Hot Water Beach for low tide. This beach has hot springs under it and at low tide you can dig your very own natural hot pool! I hired a bike from the hostel and set out on the 13 mile ride while I had been told would take about 90minutes.
After catching the passenger ferry the road to the beach was up and down some pretty hefty hills, but I didn't get off ATALL! bough back "fond" memories of all those bike rides I was maed to go on in the New Forest where I spend more time crying and pushing my bike that actually riding!!!!!
After just over and hour and a half or cycling through country side which reminded me alot of the Lake District with a little bit of tropical thrown in I arrived at Hot Water Beach, grabbed a spade and joined the masses already digging. It really was hot! too hot in some places the sand burned my feet! It was really strange to be sat on quite a cloudy beacu in water that felt like a bath! On my way back somehow I managed to take a wrong turn which led down a HUGE hill - freewheeling down I was thinking "wow I did well to get up here" turns out I hadn't! I ended up at Hahei Beach - not where I was supposed to be! So I had to turn around and get back up the hill - this time I did get off and push, it was MASSIVE!

Got back on track and the sun was shining, nice ride back to the hostel. I got off my bike and my legs felt like jelly and throughout the afternoon my bum has become increasingly PAINFUL! I guess that is what 26 miles on a bike does to you!
Another early start tomorrow, bust leaves for Rotorua at 7.15am.

There are Germans EVERYWHERE!

Sweet AS!