The 19 Days Trip - (Day 3 & 4) - Rotorua

Day 3 (22/6/2006)
Leaving Tongariro National Park,
heading to Rotorua

We left for Rotorua in the morning. The weather was sunny at that time, we managed to snap some photos before we left Tongariro National Park. However, the weather was a weird one, it started to snow and the sky got dark very soon. We quickly left for Rotorua. We past by a couple of places on our way, one of the interesting places was Taupo. At Taupo, we saw Lake Taupo as well as the Huka Falls. Why visit Lake Taupo? A few thousand years ago Lake Taupo itself was created by the largest volcanic eruption of the past 5,000 years, it was so big records say the sun went hazy in China. Today, what remains is a lake the size of Singapore and the largest fresh water lake in Australasia. (http://www.laketauponz.com/)

We left Taupo after a while. Soon after that, we arrived at Rotorua. There is something about Rotorua. From the moment people arrive in Rotorua they know they're somewhere quite different. There is a scent of sulphur in the air, and at nearby geothermal hotspots there are spouting geysers, acrid-smelling mud pools bubbling and belching, and warm geothermal pools and ponds that create a kaleidoscope of colour. (http://www.rotoruanz.com/) This was my first visit to Rotorua, but Peter came here before. We went to have look at Lake Rotorua before we drove to a nearby park where we got to see mud pools for free. It was impressive!!! The smell of sulphur, the gas and the bubbling mud pools made the walk at the park an unforgettable experience.

Lake Taupo
Lake Taupo
Huka Falls

On the way to Rotorua
Lake Rotorua
Rotorua town

Mud pool

Sulphur

Day 4 (23/6/2006)

Leaving Rotorua, back to Auckland

We headed back to Auckland. We did stopped at a few places on our way back to shoot some photos. Both of us were really tired. It was still a big day for me as I had to go to school to collect my models and clean my lockers. Besides, I had to clean all my dirty stuffs, dry them and get ready for my trip to Australia the very next day. Day 5 - Melbourne here I come!!!!

Rotorua town

Sheeps are everywhere, yeah, you are in NZ!!!
Zorbing - go into the ball and roll down the slope!!! yeehaa....
Oops... we happened to drove to this place...

feeding time