Rotarua

The woman who checked us into the holiday park here in Rotarua went through the list of amenities, “tent site here, toilets and showers here, laundry here, swimming pool here, playground, boiling mud pit, hangi, steam cooker, access to the hot water beach….” I was still stuck on the boiling mud pit part, which happens to be located right next to the playground. Only in Rotarua is thermal activity like this so casual and every day.  When I took a walk through the city this morning I couldn’t believe the amount of boiling creeks, steaming rocks and amazing boiling mud pits. 

Rotarua has aquired the nick name “Rotavegas” for the sheer number of ways one can spend money in this town.  We didn’t hit the jackpot, per say, but we did play a few choices games.  Dan has been asking to do the luge since we did a mini campervan adventure to Queenstown earlier this year.  The boys thoroughly enjoyed their thrill seeking adventure, while Bertie and I enjoyed the view from the top of the gondola.  We also visited the Rotarua Museum and a thermal area located next to the events centre parking lot.  This afternoon we went to see the Paradise Valley Springs Wildlife Park.  The boys played at the playground here at the holiday park, but thankfully stayed out of the boiling mud pit.