September 13 Rotorua - Taupo

Another early start - 5:30am!

Drive to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Another tourist attraction involving lots of bubbling mud. Cool geo-thermal pools that have been created by the action of subterranean thermal activity over many hundreds of years forming delicate silica deposits. I stole that from a post card. In short, it's bubbling mud that stinks of rotten eggs.

After continue to Taupo. Taupo lies in the northeastern corner of Lake Taupo and has scenic views across the lakes to the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park. Lake Taupo is also the source of NZ's largest river, the Waikato.

Get to the hostel at 12 noon. Get told if we want to sky dive to do it now cos the weather is turning. At 1pm get picked up by a limo and taken to the airfield. Up in a plane and plummet 12,000ft. All over by 2pm. Absolutely awesome!! Want to do it again!!

The lady who told us the weather is turning is correct. It's pissing it down in the afternoon. Net and I end up in the hostel kitchen chatting to an Aberdeen couple who are really nice. We end up talking non-stop about our sky dive.