As we approached Wai-O-Tapu we noticed that all around (parks, residential areas and gardens) the ground was steaming. Like a hundred kettles boiling all at the same time. An alien landscape and slightly un nerving!

In the 'Thermal Wonderland Park' our first stop was the 'Lady Knox Geyser', pronounced GUY ZER (definition- water flow or flow of water) not GEEZER..(Definition chav, bloke, matey peeps). We had been told that the geyser erupts on the dot every day at 10.15am. This puzzled us..Surely nature wasn't that punctual!!??..anyway as we sat around the chalky, sulphury mound with all the other bewildered people it all became clear. The story goes;.....many years ago the Wai O Tapu area was a prison camp. The prisoners used to come down and wash their clothes in the water at the top of Lady Knox spring. One day they used soap flakes which effectively acted like a surfactant and broke the pressured seal of the geyser and sent it into a massive artificially induced water spout which blew them and their washing across Wai O Tapu.. So at 10.15am every day the rangers now pour in an environmentally friendly surfactant solution and artificially induce the Lady Knox geyser into performing an amazing water spout eruption...ah question answered!!..Tthis geyser if left alone would erupt naturally but no one can really predict when, so for the mesmerised and gullible tourists they give her a little tickle every morning, waking her up and enabling her to spurt water up to 20 meters into the air....we were suitably impressed!!

The rest of the park was as fascinating...set in a highly volcanic area and with many signs informing you that the ground was 'unstable' off we went. Over hundreds of thousands of years the volcanic and geo thermal activity in this area has created the most unusual and colourful landscapes. Everywhere we went there were bubbling mud pools, steaming lakes and mineral deposits in a rainbow of colours. Even the trees surrounding the walkways were coated with browny orange mineral deposits making them appear 'rusty'. The lakes and pools here are so incredibly hot that we spotted a bird carcass that looked like it had been deep fried and yet there were other wading birds that seemed to be able to withstand quite a bit of heat as they filtered through the sulphuric pools. The smells here were not just eggy (although it was mostly egg) there was also an under lying smell of oil a bit like that smell of bitumen when they tarmac the roads!..really strange. At one point Ray told me to sit on the edge of a steaming lake for a picture but the steam was so thick that my glasses fogged up and I literally couldn't see anything, even my nose disappeared!!...got a bit scared at that point, thought I'd better stay put in case I wandered off and fell into a steaming pool and got broiled like the afore mentioned crispy bird !!

The thermal park was so interesting but all around the area it was the same. We managed to book a campsite at a place called Waikiti which not only was a campsite but it also had 6 thermal pools which campers were invited to use. Ray and I were straight in and spent three hours floating about and going pruney in the kiwi evening sunshine. The pools are fed from an underwater thermal spring and provide a constant flow of beautifully hot mineral rich water...fab place.

The next day we drove to Matamata and the place we had really wanted to visit...Hobbiton!!!

When Peter Jackson was looking for a place to film the Lord of the Rings he needed somewhere that had no power lines or any signs of human ness. The place also needed a 'party tree'. The researchers found the ideal place called Alexander farm. After some lengthy negotiations the deal was done. The army arrived to build, dig and drain the land, farmer Alexander became a very rich man and Hobbiton or more specifically 'The Shire' was born.

I know it's a man-made place but it's beautiful and as you walk around the mounds and Hobbit holes you forget that there are no such things as Hobbits. There is a beautiful watermill, a proper vegetable garden, lovely ponds with frogs and of course the stunning party tree. Currently they are building the 'Green Dragon ' pub where tourists will be able to buy a proper pint of 'Sobering Thought' beer..

.All of the scenery is real apart from the lichen growing on the picket fences which was made out of paper and yoghurt and the one tree on top of Bilbo's house which was created in Wellington and transported to the Alexander farm and assembled piece by piece. The pretend tree obviously can't change colour with the seasons like a normal tree so a team of leaf painters are employed to do just that....I'd love that job!!.....

As Ray and I were sat having our photo taken on the steps of Bilbo's house I spotted a leaf from the artificial tree on the floor and sneaked it into my pocket....a real souvenir from the set of the Hobbit!! Yay!!...(gonna put it on EBay as soon as we get home!!). Hobbiton was a fantastic place and I think Tolkien would have been suitably impressed and even though we became proper tourists that day and discovered that none of the hobbit houses are actually houses on the inside just pretty facades, it was great to have seen it....( I did get a bit fed up of Ray constantly hissing...my preciousssshiss all the way round though!!))

The next day we headed back to Auckland via a walk up to Wairere Falls. Another stunning bit of Kiwi landscape and a real lung busting, buttock toning walk.

We arrived back at Marks in readiness for the Auckland marathon which he and Mandie were running in. Great fun to watch them crossing the finish line...and at the time it inspired us to do the London marathon....(yeh right!)

We also got the opportunity to visit the 'Sky Tower'. Another impressive land mark with fantastic views of the city. While we were getting some photos a foolish man leapt from the top and bungeed to the target below. My stomach leapt for him.....honestly, why do people do that???

Our last night in Auckland was great, we cracked open the wine, hauled out Marks box of old cd's from his youth and sat up nattering and watching Ray and Mark break dancing until the wee small hours!!...haven't laughed so much in ages.

The two week New Zealand leg of this trip was far too short and definitely a planning faux pas on our behalf. It's a beautiful country with so much more to do and see. We definitely haven't finished with this part of the world. We didn't even touch the south island so that will have to be another adventure to come.

It also makes you realise how precious and important every member of your family is and how much you need them especially when you are far away from home.......