Whilst in Australia last year we were shown or saw things that were the biggest, tallest, highest whatever but all qualified by "in the southern hemisphere". Same here, they have the biggest geyser - in the Southern Hemisphere. We both slept really well, I awoke at 07.00 to the news that Liverpool were beating Arsenal 1-0, not what I wanted to here. I will have to wait until tomorrow morning to find out how Everton got on away to Spurs. We had breakfast and were out before 09.00 and drove the short distance to the Te Puia Maori centre, costs $50 NZ each for entry but you can't come all this way and not see THE biggest geyser (in the southern hemisphere). We just made the start of the 09.00 guided tour, we saw how they use fibre from the NZ flax leaves to weave and some wood carvers at work using traditional tools (and a Black and Decker wood cutter). The geyser is quite impressive, the height depends on how wet it has been and how much underground pressure has built up but it is continuous. Another park has a smaller geyser which they induce to erupt once a day by dropping a box of soap powder in. There are steam vents and bubbling mud pools galore plus some hot rock seats some of which are very hot indeed. After the tour we walked around for another hour or so taking in parts of the park we didn't go to on the tour. It was sunny and very warm, just like a nice summers day. We had to leave by noon as Fiona wanted to visit a quilting shop she had spotted in town and it was closing at 13.00 so it was back to the hotel. Driving back we noticed there were a lot of motels and motor lodges, there is a Novotel but no better hotels. There are a few backpackers hostels as well. I sat by the pool whilst she went to the shop, I don't need to see another quilting shop.

After that we drove to the supermarket and bought some salad stuff for lunch. As it was hot and sunny after that we just sat by the pool!

We were aiming to eat in an Argentinian place but it was shut so went next door to the Fat Dog Cafe.

Tomorrow we have a drive of about 220km to Napier but we are stopping off on the way to see some waterfalls.