When i last made an entry i believe i was brimming with positivity about the day ahead and the like. Oh, how things change. Later that day we did indeed go to the museum, but shortly after Ben became violently ill. I for one blame the sushi he had for lunch. The next day and a half were a wipeout as he recovered in bed, and i became progressively more bored.
On thursday then, with renewed optimism following Ben's recovery, we arrived at Waitomo. After checking into Waitomo Big Bird, run by NZ's equivalent of Barbara Good (think wild hair and moon-boots) we took our lives into our hands by hitch-hiking into Waitomo. The man who picked us up said he lived "just in those hills over there". All i could see was hills.
Visited Ruakuri and the Glowworm Cave (both spectacular and a little bit trippy - a Pink Floyd soundtrack wouldn't have gone amiss).
Then fate dealt me a bad hand. I think i caught (a mild strain of) Ben's illness, and i too became violently ill. So the rest of the day/night in Waitomo was a wash out too.

On friday we made it to Rotorua, where i promtly went to bed at about 5.00pm feeling "a bit ropey", as is the phrase we've used all too much so far.
And that brings us to today. That's saturday, for those of you still reading and up with your time zones. Today was much better. Went to the Geothermal Valley park thingy in Rotorua and saw some amazing natural wonders. Steam spewing rocks, bubbling mud and the like. You know how it is. A bit like being on Mars one would imagine.
Having left Rotorua and it's noisy backpackers hostel behind (The Pussy Cat Dolls' 'Beep' at 2.00am anyone?) we hopped on the coach to Napier, from whence i am writing. Staying at Napier Prison Backpackers (an actual real prison until 1993 for all you incarceration buffs) in a real cell! This city is known as Art Deco City. Know why? Go on, have a guess. OK, i'll tell you - many of the buildings are in an Art Deco style due to the Hawkes Bay area being hit by an earthquake in 1931. No no, the earthquake didn't build the city - it was rebuilt this way after the seismic event. I'm boring you now aren't i? In fact, i'm boring myself so i'll leave it there until the next amazing fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants installment.

When i last made an entry i believe i was brimming with positivity about the day ahead and the like. Oh, how things change. Later that day we did indeed go to the museum, but shortly after Ben became violently ill. I for one blame the sushi he had for lunch. The next day and a half were a wipeout as he recovered in bed, and i became progressively more bored.
On thursday then, with renewed optimism following Ben's recovery, we arrived at Waitomo. After checking into Waitomo Big Bird, run by NZ's equivalent of Barbara Good (think wild hair and moon-boots) we took our lives into our hands by hitch-hiking into Waitomo. The man who picked us up said he lived "just in those hills over there". All i could see was hills.
Visited Ruakuri and the Glowworm Cave (both spectacular and a little bit trippy - a Pink Floyd soundtrack wouldn't have gone amiss).
Then fate dealt me a bad hand. I think i caught (a mild strain of) Ben's illness, and i too became violently ill. So the rest of the day/night in Waitomo was a wash out too.

On friday we made it to Rotorua, where i promtly went to bed at about 5.00pm feeling "a bit ropey", as is the phrase we've used all too much so far.
And that brings us to today. That's saturday, for those of you still reading and up with your time zones. Today was much better. Went to the Geothermal Valley park thingy in Rotorua and saw some amazing natural wonders. Steam spewing rocks, bubbling mud and the like. You know how it is. A bit like being on Mars one would imagine.
Having left Rotorua and it's noisy backpackers hostel behind (The Pussy Cat Dolls' 'Beep' at 2.00am anyone?) we hopped on the coach to Napier, from whence i am writing. Staying at Napier Prison Backpackers (an actual real prison until 1993 for all you incarceration buffs) in a real cell! This city is known as Art Deco City. Know why? Go on, have a guess. OK, i'll tell you - many of the buildings are in an Art Deco style due to the Hawkes Bay area being hit by an earthquake in 1931. No no, the earthquake didn't build the city - it was rebuilt this way after the seismic event. I'm boring you now aren't i? In fact, i'm boring myself so i'll leave it there until the next amazing fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants installment.