We're back in Thames for one night, then off to see some more of the Coromandel peninsula for our last two days on North Island.
Since Rotorua we have driven round in a big circle to Taupo, Otorohanga, Waitomo, Hamilton, Raglan and back to Thames (see map for where these places are). Here are the edited highlights....
13th February: Between Rotorua and Taupo, a tiny place 2km up an unmade road, called Kerosene Creek - turned out to be a hot stream, complete with hot waterfall and huge shallow bathing pool (hot). Mind boggling! (see the steam?)
In the evening we went to see a HUGE waterfall, which is on the river flowing out of Lake Taupo.
13th/14th February: In Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake which has the clearest water you can imagine. Formed about 2,000 years ago when a volcano blew up! Drove up to the highest village on Tongariro volcanic range, Whakapapa, where the air was beautifully cool at 2,000m - this is the volcanic cone of Ngauruhoe from Ruahepa:
15th February: Otorohanga - visited a kiwi house and saw a kiwi. Because these birds are so rare in the wild, and also nocturnal, it's practically impossible to see them except in captivity. So the Otorohanga kiwi house keeps them in a dark enclosure and they think it's night during the day.
15th February: Waitomo - huge caves full of glow worms, which glow blue as you glide underneath in a boat. Couldn't get any photos unfortunately, so one to remember.
Hamilton - big city, we didn't go in but we did meet Nicole's mum, brother and his wife at their house on the outskirts.
16th February: Raglan - very pretty beach and cliffs, with surf-tastic town full of "dudes" hanging out!
Tonight we'll be up on Coromandel making sure the beaches are pretty, then one more night in Thames (Wednesday), and on Thursday we fly to Christchurch on South Island.
Vicky, Mike, Thomas and Kitty xxxx
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