Auckland to Rotorua

but actually its the beginning of lots of good times!

Martyn and I are getting along great! He was in Auckland a few weeks ago, and knows all the cheapest super markets to shop at and the least expensive places to eat. After my long internet session last night, we met up with the french boys, Theo and GB, who he had been in touch with for some time. We met up with a brother sister couple Matthew and Lindsey and we went for dollar sushi. It was pretty yummy and it was everyone else's first time eating sushi! but not mine!! yum!

Then we went to the Globe Bar, just downstairs from Central City Backpackers. It was a pretty good dance club, and I was suprised to see so many people dancing, playing pool, and doing all the usual antics reserved for the weekend, all on a Tuesday night. We raised a few glasses and soon some of us were dancing to the crazy loud music. It was fun seeing people from so many places bring all their own style to the club. It was dizzying trying to keep up with all the accents and styles and I emmensly enjoyed it!

Around 1:30 I went upstairs to bed, and still I could hear the thudding beat of the music coming from the guts of the building...as if it has a ferocious heartbeat into the wee hours of morning. But this didn't stop me from collapsing into the most comfortable bed I've slept in in 6 weeks, and sleeping so hard that I didn't ruffle any of the sheets by morning. It was if I was made INTO the bed!

I got up early, before Martyn, and showered, dressed and went in search of yogurt and berries, tea, and i even got a dunkin donaut, which I could NOT resist. (Chocolate frosted with rainbow sprinkles, if you have to know). Martyn and I joined Theo and GB at 8:30 and well all squeezed into a small silver sadan with all our bags and headed South to Lake Tapou.

A little backround here. I was planning on going north from Auckland, but the offer to share a rented car was too good to pass up. The car is only $15/ day. Thats it. Not per person. Per DAY! So the four of us are splitting gas, which isn't too bad.

I was mostly interested in going, however, because Martyn told me about this amazing walk between two volcanos that took 8 hours. I really wanted to do it. I mean WOAH! The broshours looked amazing. Martyn, Theo, and GB also want to go sky diving, which I'm definatly not interested in doing, but thats here in Lake Tapeo too.

Anyhow, driving 3 hours from Auckland we arrived at Lake Tapaou and we all split a large pizza and walked along the wake. The air was brisk and cool, but the sun just warm enough to be really pleasureable on the back. I got some great pictures here, but I've reached my limit for the month so I'm going to request that they up my limit, until then, those of you with face book, go there, I'll try to update my photo album there.

We got back in the car and drove another hour. THe hills became rather rugged and the green rolling pastures gave way to pine tree forests and rocky mountainous stuff. We arrived at Rotorua just now and checked into the YHA, also known as Kiwi Packers. Now all four of us are on the internet...heh.

Sadly, the weather is going to turn crap for the next few days, and there is a strong advisory out that doing the 8-hour walk is a BAD idea. So I think, sadly, that I will not be able to do it. But there is lots to do around here. Rotorua smells like sulfer because the entire ground and bedrock is laced with geothermal activity. There is a hot pool right here in the YHA which I will be getting into as soon as i'm done typing. There are gysers to go see, and some short walks that shouldn't be too bad even in the rain tommrrrow. Furthermore, there are hot mud baths that should be really nice to relax in!

So I've got 2 full days here to chill and then I've got to return to Auckland, probably by bus, as I doubt these guys will be ready to go yet. I'm not sure what else is in store, but I'll keep the updates coming.

I'm in really good company, the guys are really nice. GB and Theo are trying very hard to speak english and we all end up laughing most of the time at all the miscommunications that go on...but since I speak pretty good french we always work out what we're trying to say. They they yell at me not to speak french because they want to learn english, which is good, but I WANT TO PRACTICE FRENCH! hahaha.

Scenery is amazing. Air is sooooo fresh and clean. NZ is so enviornmentally conscious its ming-boggling. At the ATM the scean that asks if you want a recept says "Please consider the enviornment before answering this question: do you want a recept". Signs along the road read "Know when you are tired". I havn't seen one speck of trash ANYWHERE. Not in the city, not in the suburubs, or along the roadway. I've never seen a country so desirious to remain clean and so dedicated to enviornmentalism. Its truely awe inspiring.

I love you all much! kisses and hugs