Stayed in Rotorua at a very comfortable YH, which had lots of facilities and was buzzing with young people......we didn't feel at all out of place!!!!
Visited Whakarewarewa which seemed to be the best place to see Maori culture and visit the thermal hotspots. At the Maori welcoming ceremony(the Wero), guess who was chosen to be leader of the visiting party..yes,...you guessed!! In order to bind physically & spiritually, the Hongi has to be carried out(touching noses twice)..I got a beautiful girl again!(Pam's beginning to feel jealous!!) We were then ushered int
o the meeting house and treated to a cultural performance of singing & dancing. This ended with...guess who..being chosen as warrior to dance the Haka.. a somewhat nerve-racking experience!
o the meeting house and treated to a cultural performance of singing & dancing. This ended with...guess who..being chosen as warrior to dance the Haka.. a somewhat nerve-racking experience!We then had a guide to show us around the carving & weaving centres, before showing us around the rest of the thermal village. Bubbling mud pools, fumiroles, and, to cap it all, the Pohutu geyser were highlights here..this latter with steam reaching up to 30m eerie and exciting stuff!!
Day 2 saw us visiting the Polynesian Spa early in the morning to take an hours thermal bathing in an assortment of pools varying from 36 to 42 deg..very relaxing. In the afternoon we went up in a Gondola to the adjacent mountain and thoroughly enjoyed luging down in mini trolleys..a great adrenaline rush..especially the advanced track!!(Pam loved it!!) 
