Rotorua, the East Coast and the Bay of Islands

After a lovely day on the shores of Lake Taupo eating a picnic in the sunshine we set off  for Rotorua a geothermal area in the north island. We bathed in a hot water creek, visited thermal and bubbling mud pools and went to a Maori Cultural Experience evening which was fantastic. We learnt about Maori traditions and ways of life, watched warrior dancing, singing and the Hakka. This was followed by a Hangi feast, a meal cooked underground by the earth. We have taken many photographs and videos we will share with you on our return.

Next we headed to the east coast stopping at various places for trail and beach walks until we reached the Bay of Islands. There we did the hill walking trails to various view points which were well worth the walk. We took a boat trip over to Russell for more walks and a picnic, again taking in fantastic views over the islands. We visited a local farmers market and a village show which was very much like our local shows, even vegetable animals appearing in the children's classes.