Arrived at Rotorua at 5pm and the intial smell of eggs was totally overpowering. This place is full of hot natural springs which is lovely for those who wish to relax in the natural heated pools, not so good for the suphur and the smell of eggs that this then surrounds the area in!!! That evening we booked ourselves on plenty of activites to keep us occupied and out of trouble over next few days. We booked into a room above a pub (just a coincidence this time, since I have not had a drink since arriving in NZ, that has only been our 2nd day mind you, haha!). This place was like Guest House Paradiso really weird. The first night, there was a lady who was currently being evicted by the police since she had not paid her board and was apparently taking men up to her room of an evening, (damn it 1 day too late!!). We ended up in seperate rooms, Andy with a nice cozy double room to himself and myself with a 3 bed room, very nice for the $20 we paid!!! We then went downstairs and there was a pool table with no front so we had free pool all night, the owner Ian then came in and just when we thought we were in for a b******ing he switches the juke box on and says 'there you go lads, stick a coinn in and choose a song, press this button here and the coin will be returned so you can have free music all night'??? Do what? This is your pub pal and you telling us ways around paying for stuff!! You little beaut... haha. Dont worry there are more stories of Guest House Paradiso to come!!!

Next morning we headed off to do our rafting. We were put in a raft with 3 other English girls and we had two guides, Johhny and Grant in our boat. Grant was insane, like totally past the point of return, good fun mind you!! The rapids were awesome fun and then we got to the big one. The 7 metre waterfall. Stopped at edge told what to do and then a Maori prayer was said, then off we paddled over the edge and bang, yep we flipped. Into the drink we went and legs and people were everywhere. Couple of girls looked terrified and to be fair the downwash from the waterfall was pretty strong it did stick you under for a short while. I ended up in an air pocked under the raft which was upside down with some people on outside of this and others downstream!!! Haha, what a blast, you gotta love that s*** its awesome!!! Managed to flip boat over with ease and off on our jolly little way we went again. Fantastic fun and although couple people scared at one point fun was had by all!!!! That afternoon after a bite to eat we were off on river again. This time for some sledging action. This is basically like a boogie board with handles that you hold onto and head down the same rapids we just did in the raft!!! Yeah Boy!!! Luckily for us didn't start until after the 7m waterfall, phew!!! Real good fun, but real hard work!!! Really having to battle with the currents at parts and to say we were all knackered by the end is an understatement. Got to final section and there was like a rip in the rapid where you could swim into angle the board up and surf into the wave with the rip holding you there. I lasted a long time in here (well I am a true pro, and a total water fanatic!!). I lost it at one point and barrell rolled totally out of control only to spin it round unintentially and get back into the rip. The guides thought I was taking the piss now, I gave it all the Charlie Big Bollox little did they know I was totally out of control not knowing where I was at, Ave it, YEAH! Funniest part of the trip mind you was talking to one of our guides called Andy. Only turns out he lived in Haywards Heath playing rugby for them for couple years, wait for it, it gets even better. He lived in the same bloody flat that we lived in at Commercial Square, that is some freaky s*** man!!!! OK back to hotel we went (sorry Guest House Paradiso) (Bottom fans will understand what I mean by that!!), and this time $20 got us a 5 bed room with the biggest tv Ive ever seen in a hotel room!!! The guy told us it was a 'grim room' but to be fair I think the hub cap hanging on the wall (the sole decoration) was a nice touch???? Whats that all about?? Dont worry Guest House Paradiso Fans theres still more to come from here yet!!!

Following day we went and did off road 4x4 driving. I say we did, we were taken on a course, which although short and nothing more then sitting there was far better then I initially thought it would be, real bone jerker of a ride and some serious dips, hills and manouvers that this vehicle could pull off. After this we headed into the local forest and did some mountain biking. Proper off road downhill style with some of the best tracks I have seen or done before. I have done a few tracks at the MBK park in the Welsh forest however this made that look like amatuer hour. Some real serious routes here and very very tiring. Clearly the last few months of doing nothing and drinking plenty had taken its toll and just 30 mins in I was hugging a tree chucking my guts up!!! I would like to say I was ill still which I was, but to be fair i reckon it was probably beer i was throwing up and I hadnt drunk any for nearly a week!!!! Good fun mind you and after clearing the system out felt a bit better and was able to carry on. Had my usual crash which is mandatory when I do any off road MBK, as those who have been with me will tell you!!!! Only minor mind so no need to bother the insurance company just yet!!!! That afternoon we went and got a Gondala up the mountain to where the Luge was available (a plastic tray like a sledge with handlebars and couple wheels!!). Great views up the Gondala, but hey the Luge going down was far more impressive. I like the way the picture at the bottom shows a chap cruising down the hill with his son trying to establish it as a family day out. Wrong my friend, you get on these things and they hoon down the hill. Three tracks to choose from, Scenic, Intermediate, and advanced!!! Trust me they are all fast the only differance being you get air on the Advanced and far more people crash!!! You see people coming off covered in mud with cuts and bruises and ripped clothes!! Awesome this is truly an awesome idea and not something I could ever see in England (certainly not at this speed) due to the sheer danger of it all!!! Fantastic! Went to the Polynesian Spa that evening for a nice relax in the natural hot springs they have available. These ranged from 42oc down to about 35oc. Really nice bit of respite after the last couple days action and something that has to be done in Rotorua. Cant beat the warmth and the smell of eggs, luvly jubly!!! OK so the final instalment on the Guest House Paradiso scenario. Turned up again and enquired about the availability of the rooms. This time we were told only the double Andy had stayed in first night was available, but iif we moved two single beds in there from the store we could have the room for free!! This guy surely is not the owner and he is just covering the place while the owner away?? How can a hotel make money by giving people in the bar (who not buying anything as well) free pool, free music and tells you how to get free music, now to top it all free accomodation!! What a joker, and yet a total legend for us!!! Bit weird but hey, not gonna question it...... Real catalgue of incidents at this place and yet we kept returning for more, love it I am going to put fantastic reviews about this place everywhere just to entice more people into this parallel univierse that we experienced!!!

Not much else to report from Rotorua. Following morning we were heading to Waitomo, but not before we did our final activity here and the totally original NZ experience which is Zorb. Anyone who does not know what this is check it out on the internet. Basically imagine those hamster balls, but with humans in it. A giant ball made of rubber inflate then water and soap added. You then attempt to run down the side of a hill in it whilst the soap and water in there with you has got differant ideas then to let you run!!! What serious serious fun this is, all over far too quickly but brilliant all the same!!!

What a serious amount of action packed into a short time there at Rotorua, loved this place and Queenstown has a lot to live up to as the Extreme Sport capital after everything on offer here in egg town!

Next up Waitomo for some caving action.