We arrive in Rotorua the next day and check into the visitor center to find out what to do. I starting to warm up to the people in NZ and think that they think I am a kiwi also. Although difficult to pass for a south American, I think that I can pull off the Kiwi thing. I notice that I start talking with a British accent to the locals. People are generally friendly and the visitor centers in each town make it easy to book trips and find out what the town offers. I did find out that the visitor centers get some type of payment for their recommendation and think that sometimes you can get better deals by going directly to the company.

We are ready to begin our adventures on this day . We start off by going on a hike in the NZ Redwoods. Yes, Redwoods. They are imported from CA and look like everything that I had imagined in California. The hike is beautiful, although limited wildlife, it is really nice. Mountain bikers are everywhere riding up the trails and back into town.

We then head to a concert put on by the native New Zealand Mora people ( i think that I spelled Mora wrong).  We watched the concert that was unique and interesting in how they communicated or performed in a show. They stick their tongues out and make their eyes bulge to show defiance. I joke that it looks like my family photos. We continue on the tour of the hot springs in which they tell us how they utilize the springs for so many uses. It is interesting, but the weather is once again coming in with cold winds and freezing temps.

We luckily get a great suggestion for a campground at a hot spring. It is a romantic setting with several hot springs overlooking mountains. We pay $12 each per night and eat a great dinner afterwards. The locals often rent campers for their vacations and come to places like this for a getaway. They definitely seem more relaxed than us in the US.