This morning I was picked up at 7:15 am, freezin my you know whats off, it feels just like Christmas time, thats how cold it is, and even my iPod shuffled onto an xmas classic! Anyways, today we headed out to Visit Te Puia (Hot Springs)

http://www.nzmaori.co.nz/thingstoseeanddo/whakarewarewa.html

We were first taught a little about Maori culture, from a native Maori, who is half Maori, half Scottish! They all came to New Zealand a 1000 years ago from Hawaii, Cook Islands and Figi amongst others and settled mainly in the north of New Zealand, as the south is far too cold as I am about to experience in the next weeks! Hat and Gloves at the ready!

We checked out some native wood carvers doing their work and weavers before the bit I was most excited about, the plopping mud, and hot springs firing from the ground, absolutely amazing, if a little stinky...! Sulphur smells of rotten eggs, yuk! I did take some video to upload at some point! This morning, I took my first stunning picture, the sun was rising through the clouds over a mirrored lake, with hot steam all across the landscape, you're gonna love it!

Next, we headed to Rainbow Springs, where they have all sorts of fish, and trout, would you believe trout can't be bought here in NZ, if you want it, you have to go catch it yourself and a restaurant will cook it for you! Next, I saw my first live Kiwi! What an unusal bird, no wings, long beak with nostrils at the end, its quite plump and unfortunately endangered, the NZ posums eat them! And I've been told a dead possum is a good possum!

Side note, New Zealanders are mad keen about timing, if they give you a time, your sure as damn well make sure you are there, they don't hang about, the bus driver today, left a couple at their hotel because they were seven minutes late, its not as if our tour was full, there was only 4 of us on the coach, including the bus driver, the Dutch Kiwi Driver (again)

And finally, some more shearing, this time the more commonly known sheep sheering, but there was a split second during the sheerin' when sat on the front row, it looked as through the sheep was going to fall off the stage and into my lap! The show lasted an hour with all sorts, sheep dogs climbing on the sheep, milking cows and baby lambs running round the stage! Brilliant! And its only 2PM, going to head out into town and see what other amazing things I can find! Tomorrow, i'm off to Taupo! Byeee!