UMTravels

Lovely woman at the front desk gave me the three — if you are only here for a couple of days — things to do, so today I’m off to the Waiotaput Thermal Wonderland and tonight I’ll do dinner with the Maoris. Hopefully, I won’t be dinner (brings back memories of my trip to Borneo years ago).

The Thermal Wonderland is about 45 minutes south and is truly amazing — sort of like Yellowstone where you could do the whole bit in an hour and a half (mud bathes, geysers, steam vents, the works) rather than drive from place to place to see one of each. A lite sprinkle started at the end of my walk, but since I was sweating a bit from the walk, it was welcomed. Bought a hat pin and a couple of postcards — need to get some stamps.

Didn’t like the selection in the Cafe at Wonderland, so just drove back to Rotorua and grabbed a Whopper at Burger King (not Hungry Jacks, as in Oz) — they had comfortable living room chairs, like nice ones at Starbucks (frankly, they’d look good in my living room). Home for a nap after reading today’s paper (old habits hard to break).

The bus for Maori land leaves around 6 (was 5:45, now 6:10). Sprinkles continue through the afternoon. To take a coat or not take a coat. Will at least take the rain hat. Nice to not have to drive after dark on the other side of the road — it was hell finding this place in the pitch dark last night.

Rainy night. On and off mist and real rain. Interesting show, not sure if it actually has anything to do with Maori culture. If it does, then I see various tie-ins to the Hawaiian culture. Wish there was a little one-on-one time for questions. Would love to know if there is a “third way”…. one of the singers certainly looked like a drag queen to me.

The buffet was one of the tastiest I’ve every had — included green mussels, lamb, chicken, tons of sides, and then an entire buffet table of sweets for all those brits/ozzies/kiwis.

I was the last off the bus — passed along a book I was reading to the driver — and my card, had to cut the conversation short as it was starting to rain heavily.

Home to try and whittle down the booze to 2.25 liters which is the legal incoming to get back into Australia. The hell with laundry, it’s too late. Guess I’ll have to live with what’s left over.