After a quiet New Year in Hot Water Beach it was time for us to continue our trip down the east cost of north island. Since every accommodation around the Bay of Plenty was completely booked out (surprise surprise during New Zealand’s peak holiday season) we drove all the way to Rotorua.
Along the way we stopped in Waihi and were amazed how people can dig a gigantic hole in the middle of their town looking for gold in the Mt Martha mine (which turned out to become the biggest gold mine in New Zealand). And as if that is not enough these guys then moved the 2.000 tonnes historic pump house some 300 metres when underground tunnel collapses threatened to destroy the derelict building.
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Only 100 kilometres south of Waihi we arrived at Rotorua, which is yet another city planner’s nightmare because it is sitting right on top of an active volcano with hot gas and mud bubbling from the ground everywhere around town. What is wrong with these people building a city in such a place? We did however enjoy the surreal feeling of walking around town with a constant smell of Sulfur in the air and boiling hot gasses literally gushing through the pavement at some places.
Kuirau Park in the middle of Rotorua
Rotorua sightseeing walk
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Bea and Wolfgang
Gone walkabout 
cool banannas