Nov 8 - Smelly Rotorua and Maori Performance

Hopped back on the Magic bus this morning and it took us out of Auckland and up Mt. Eden, where there was a lookout over the city and a big, grassy crater. Snapped some pics and then back on the bus. Had a quick brekky stop then continued to Paeroa and got pictures with the giant Lemon and Paeroa bottle (L + P). L+P is a drink found only in New Zealand and is made with spring water from the town and lemon for flavor. I haven't tried it but B said it tasted gross when he bought a bottle. Then we carried on southwards to Shire's Rest, which is the stopping point for Hobbiton, AKA the hobbit village from the Lord of the Rings that they milk for tourist dollars now. Looked sort of cool but the tour to it was $85 which is weak for just getting to see a hobbit house with a round door. We got to feed some sheep (which are ugly when they're full grown and sheared) and pet some little lambs (which were timid and cute and really dumb). B had lunch and I had a smoothie that was awful despite being described as "tropical." There were exact replicas of the cloaks in Lord of the Rings (made by the NZ company who made them for the movies) that you could buy for outrageous prices.

We continued on down to Rotorua and the smell wasn't as bad as I had expected, but there was a faint hint of eggs in the air from the sulfur springs. We checked into a YHA hostel that is super nice and super clean with wicked good facilities and only $20/night. Tossed the bags into the room and went for a walk by the lake/springs and nearly puked numerous times as the mild sulfur smell got really strong and hit us in hot waves of stench. Gag. Then we got picked up for a Maori cultural show we had signed up for on the bus ride up. Our bus driver over to the cultural village was really funny and taught the bus some Maori sayings and about their culture. We arrived and got a welcome sign of aggression from the warrior actors and then were invited into the replica village. A lady showed us a traditional Maori stick game and we took pictures with a Maori guy decked out in war attire and face tattoos. Then we were shown the method they used to cook the meal; an earth oven that bakes the food with hot rocks. We filed into a little auditorium and the Maoris sang and danced and told stories of their people. Amazing singers and we were thoroughly entertained. Then supper, hooray! Not having eaten since breakfast, I had worked up a mean appetite and the food spread was amazing. Chicken, lamb, fish, salad, potatoes, sweet potatoes, super sweet carrots, corn bread and gravy. Wow. I had two huge platefuls. Then came dessert. There was steamed pudding, custard, fruit salad and an angelfood-ish cake that was one of the tastiest cakes I've ever had. Two helpings of dessert and I was so full my stomach hurt. We had a good chat with two Canadian girls (who we had to sing our anthem with on the bus ride home). It seems weird that we come all this way and still prefer to chat with Canadians, but we have the most things in common with them and can tell jokes that are understood. Back to the hostel and chilled out to let the food digest. Uhh, so full still. Tomorrow we are going to go Zorbing, which is going down a hill inside a big plastic ball (like a hamster). The Canadians are also going to Waitomo to the glow worm caves, so that's another option. And if we have time during our stay, we also want to rent some clubs and hit up the 9 hole golf course here.