Mark Smalley

Sunday, 13 Mar - Rotorua
We leave Whitianga at 0930 heading for Rotorua via the coastal road via Tauranga, for the first 30 km going back down the road we travelled on Friday.
At Katikati we walk around for half an hour looking at most of the 34 murals that have been created since 1991 on walls of various buildings. Also do some shopping.
Just past Te Puke, the 'kiwi fruit capitol of the world', we have a look in at Kiwi360 (www.kiwi360.com ). Plenty of tourists going on a tour of the kiwi orchards but we just take a look at the giftshop.
Our last stop before Rotorua is at Hells Gate Thermal Reserve (www.hellsgate.co.nz ), just east of Lake Rotorua and smelling very sulphury but we baulk at the $20 entrance fee and give it a miss for the time being.
The weather is quite different to yesterday, warm and sunny.
We arrive in Rotorua just after 1600 and check in at Ann's Volcanic Rotorua Motel (www.rotoruamotel.co.nz ). Big room, quiet, $89. We've travelled 250 km today. Friday we did 218.
At 1730 we walk through the town to the lake. Overhear some singing at a church service. Seaplane landing. Some thermal activity. St Faith's Anglican Church. Tamatekapua Meeting House. Setting sun. Look for eats on the way back but nothing special going. At 2000 we're back at the motel and decide to go to a local Chinese Smorgasbord place (meaning you get a container and fill it with what you want from a broad selection of dishes) for fish & chips. They've got a $10 special: 5 pieces of fish, 4 sausages and chips. We'll go for that, saving the sausages for lunch tomorrow. Actually we get 6 pieces of fish. Good fish but chips fried in motor oil. As luck has it, Lindemans Chardonnay ($9) neutralises motor oil very effectively.

posted by Mark Smalley @ 4:49 PM