30/01/2023 Rotorua
What to expect
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand’s North Island. The city lies on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. […] It is known for its geothermal activity, and features geysers and hot mud pools.”
wikipedia.org
Our first night in the van was so cosy! We slept near the Redwoods Forest on a car park as the only ones and woke up to – of course – more rain.
Go on a hike in the Redwoods Forest
Luckily, the rain didn’t last long. After spending some time in the “Fat Dog Café”, we went on a three-hour-hike throughout the Redwoods Forest. It was beautiful and I noticed once again how great it feels being back in nature!
Unwind in the Polynesian Spa
After all the drama with the flooding up north, we thought it would be time to treat ourselves. This is why we spent the afternoon and evening in the Polynesian Spa. And it was amazing! There were different hot pools outside (between 39°C – 41°C) that were all right by the lake. Furthermore, you could lie on warmed up beds outside and use the cold plunge after being in the hot pools. We loved it!
Back to the backpacker lifestyle
Another highlight for us was the hot shower and the free shampoo inside the spa. As backpackers with a campervan without a shower, you definitely appreciate free showers much more and make use of them whenever you can 😉.
In the evening we drove back to the same camping spot from the previous night, where we slept like babies after the time in the spa.
31/01/2023 Rotorua
More rain
In the morning we woke up to rain – again! What’s up with New Zealand’s summer?
So again, our breakfast had to happen inside. However, we wanted to make the most of the day and not let it get ruined by the weather.
Go zorbing
One fun activity I did in Rotorua over eleven (!) years ago, was to go zorbing down a hill.
Zorbing is the recreation or sport of rolling downhill inside an orb, typically made of transparent plastic. Zorbing is generally performed on a gentle slope.”
wikipedia.org
Since I had the best time rolling down a hill in a massive plastic ball with a friend of mine in 2011, I wanted to share this experience with Blake, too!
Some big improvements
They had definitely improved the layout of the park: Now you were waiting in a sauna until the van would drive you up the hill to the starting point. Moreover, you could warm up in a hot pool after you’ve rolled down the hill in the ball which was filled with (warm) water.
Blake and I rolled down the hill in the same ball. While going down we were rolling on top of each other getting smashed around and losing balance as well as orientation. It was hilarious!
Go mountain biking
Rotorua offers over 200 km of mountain bike trails. This is why we decided to go mountain biking through the thick forests in the afternoon. The paths in between the tall trees were narrow, full of roots and little bumps, went up and down and winded around the trees. It was so much fun and such a stunning scenery to ride through!
A love for road tripping aorund New Zealand
In the evening we spontaneously decided to leave Rotorua and to head to Taupo next. We set camp around 15 minutes before entering Taupo in a small car park next to a picknick table and a little park. It was beautiful and made for a cosy movie night inside the van after another adventurous day in New Zealand.
Continue reading:
WOW,I can see why this part of your holidays was so much fun. Definitely the most interesting parts of hearing your experiences was the island tours. They were amazing. You two will forever remember this and of course all the other stops as well, but this one really had Diane and I excited to read the next island stop. Keep those blogs coming, LOVE to follow your travels with you.Take Care and Be Safe and ENJOY..Garry and Diane❤️❤️
Thank you so much for all your kind comments. It’s so great to hear that you enjoy reading our blog posts! Your messages always put a big smile on our face! I can’t wait to finally meet you two in person! All the best from New Zealand
Jana and Blake