Rotorua on a Coffee Buzz

on the tramp - that's lake rotorua in the background.


local flora. (check out those ferns!)


I just had my first cup of coffee in almost a week. My hands are literally shaking. Yay drugs! (Oh and Dad is drinking a beer at 4 in the afternoon. Even after yesterday when he said he wasn't planning on drinking at all. Oh dad.)

We arrived in Rotorua yesterday afternoon and checked into the Funky Green Backpackers (another great hostel choice by Dad - Let's Go wrote that this may be the best hostel in all of NZ). We had an interesting bus ride here (from Auckland, stay with me here people). Our bus driver was a talkative Maori man who gave us background and history of the places we drove past and through. I learned that the Labour Party is in power in NZ currently and there will be elections in 14 months. The highlight of the trip most definitely was the drive through Matamata. What's Matamata you ask? Hobbiton! I didn't see any actual hobbits, though I have faith that I will (don't tell me they don't exist. they're the only reason I came to NZ).The countryside did slightly resemble the Shire...... oh LOTR. Why did I ever think I wouldn't like you?

Back to Rotorua. Some of yall may have heard of this lovely place - it's where the hotsprings and mud pools and Zorbing are (no I'm not doing that Kaitlin, we Hopes are too cheap). We were warned by the woman that gave us a ride to the dairy that there would be an interesting smell to the place ("oh it stinks in Rotorua" were her words, but it's still early enough in the trip that I'm seeing everything thru rose colored glasses). The sulfur (which creates the bubbling goodness) leaves the town with wafts of sour egg smell. Or hardboiled eggs that have been left out too long (thank god i'll be back in time for the 4th of july!).

But never mind the smell - there's places that look just like the dead marshes (not as big, but with the steam and such). We walked around the town park yesterday and ended up having a bit spa treatment - look for pics later (when I figure out how to post pics on this thing).

Today we went for our first hike (it won't be long before I refer to them as tramps) in a forest just outside of town. Beautiful redwoods and the biggest ferns I've ever seen. There were views of the town and lake towards the beggining of the tramp (there we go), and mountain bikers to navigate around towards the end. There was talk of hitching back into town, but we haven't had the desire (proper exhaustion) yet - I'm sure it will happen at some point.

Back at the Funky Green I met two Irish girls who've wwoofed a bit in NZ - only good feedback from them which is positive. Tomorrow I'll make contact with the first few farms I'm interested in - one that makes cheese and another that's a brewery. yesss! We're off to Taupo tomorrow. That's it for now - keep those comments coming!