Random

There are a  few things about NZ in general that have caught our notice and been variously left out or forgotten about for blog entries.

1. Owls are called Moreporks or Rurus.
2. There are some seriously gigantic moorhens round here. The size of geese!
3. The big articulated trucks look like multi-coloured dragons.
4. Some of the birds are tiny, and yellow and they graze in the grass like sheep.
5. There are loads of birds. We have seen one cat in the entire time we have been here. Lots of dogs...no predatory creatures.

Other than that;
5. You cannot physically imagine smell. Especially one as bad as the smell that hangs around Rotorua. Rotten eggs does not cut  it. To really understand, you have to picture yourself in a beautiful garden, fragrant blooms, sunshine...then a sudden, unexpected gust of wind carrying a smell that turns your stomach upside down.
6. We turned out to be parked on the sulphur flats. Doh.

As to the horrible conditions of the past two days...we bought an extra duvet, a thermos flask and a large wodge of chocolate cake. What do you know, we woke up to sunshine and blue skies this morning, so the remedy of the chocolate cure-all is still alive and kicking!
We have wandered around Rotorua's Government Gardens today, looking at the boiling mud and splashing  pools. The steam coming of the lakes has a stench, and the whole surrounding area is chalky white, yellow and dead looking. Manuka bushes surround, tangled and scrubby.
We spent the morning luxuriating in a hot pool, so hot when you get in it is like your skin in melting. Its a good feeling after the pain had dissipated. Makes you positively lightheaded however! Makes you hungry as well, despite our celebratory 'its sunny again' breakfast of French toast and caramelised apples.