NewZealand6🇦🇺

ODay 6 in the land of Maori.  Bye bye Auckland, hello Rotorua!

Loaded up and off we go to a new town and experience. But not before we were sure the New Zealand rugby team had secured a win over Ireland. My goodness, what a rough game. Much easier to get the gist than cricket.  That game is a bit of a mystery. Players are either in or out, then they go in and then out and in then out.... repeat repeat ... a bit of a curiosity...

Our first stop was the Hampton Gardens. Very cool. Have a few look sees...

Lunch was an OAT home hosted at an organic dairy farm. Fabulous food! Some very creative sandwich ingredient combinations. Yummy!  We had the opportunity to learn everything to know and more about the creation of organic milk. It really was pretty interesting even for this Iowa raised traveler.

Milking parlor 

Our hosts Dorothy and Ray

Then a brief stop in Tirau. Apparently there is a penchant of artistry with corrugated steel... very entertaining. 

A walk through the redwood forest preserve. Very cool! Felt like there should a Ewok flying around just like a scene out of Star Wars. 

Final destination for two nights, Hotel Wai Ora. Our bus driver took us through the town of Rotorua. New Zealand was created volcanically. The fields on the way in to this city are littered with extinct volcanic vents. But not all is calm, there are many hot spring pools. The town has a distinct smell to welcome you. Kinda like rotten eggs. Our hotel is not near the center of town. ;)   This trip is turning out to involve all the senses ....

Tomorrow we explore some of the hot springs/boiling mud pots and more. The afternoon...zip lining! Evening a Maori performance and meal. Do check out tomorrow's blog!