Around the World

Today is Waitangi Day in New Zealand. It is a public holiday held each year on February 6th to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.

After a good night sleep we packed up in the morning and got bus tickets for the trip to Rotorua. Then we took a last walk around town.

It was an enjoyable bus trip. We stopped in Hamilton for a break. We drove through a rainforest of tree ferns. When we got to Rotorua, we soaked our feet in a public hot water mineral bath that was on the sidewalk, like a resting bench.

After walking around town and eating kiwis, we set up our tent in a campground near Acacia park. That evening we walked around the steaming mud pools with a flashlight.

"Sulfur Paradise" After breakfast we went to hot mud and water pots. We explored the lakeside and found steam vents and hot water bubbling up everywhere, even in residential areas. We explored an old Maori church and a boat dock. There was a group of men carrying a Maori Waka (canoe) into the water for an exhibition. They did some impressive maneuvers, and then Donna and I went out on one of the Wakas. We had to shout "O--RE--O--" then "Huh!" After our boat ride we went and had some ice cream, looked around some shops, and got groceries.

That evening we went to a concert at the Rotorua convention center. Today was an annual festival celebrating Maori heritage with an art show and traditional performances. We saw some awesome Maori dancing and paintings. I bought a wood carving of Teko Teko.

We walked to Rainbow Springs & Farm, a sheep farm tourist attraction. During a show Donna held a shovel behind a bull and I fed the young lambs. There was a sheep shearing demonstration and many different breeds of sheep, dogs, cows, and pigs. The zoo was better at Rainbow Springs. There were huge trout swimming in clear water ponds. I saw a live kiwi bird in a dark exhibit room. We saw a wallaby and baby chicks while we were walking on a trail to the springs. For more information visit Rainbow Springs Farm Show

We bought some fruit and stopped at a thermal pool on the way home. It felt great to soak in the hot water. We met a couple from Australia. After eating we walked to the government gardens and the Polynesian Spa. I was feeling a little groggy that evening.