So I’ve made it here and also found a hostel with WiFi… ok, I’ve had to pay for the WiFi, but I can’t keep everyone hanging on and I want to make a few Skype calls on my own terms and get some emails sent.

— Time passes —

Well that was a monumental failure! As you will see from the short post I was able to put up, Global Gossip let me down. I was able to put up the text only post about getting back to Newcastle, but the others remain imprisoned on my laptop until I get back to the wonderful WiFi of Warner’s Bay Hotel near Tracey’s place.

Anyway, Rotorua. I got here just after 11am yesterday. Immediately made for the iSite Tourist Info and found a hostel (I’ve nailed down the “turn up without any accomodation” jig now). Headed for BASE Rotorua Hostel as it had a pool (which the YHA also did, but I’m not a member). NZD27 a night and I had a real bed, rather than just a bunk like I’m used to.

I then promptly headed out to check out the town. Found a Kathmandu and they have a sale on the day I leave NZ! Pity, their gear is good, but you need to get it when it’s on sale! I had to hunt high and low for more batteries for the GPS! When I found some the camera battery had run out! No photos of Lake Rotorua for me!

I went back to the hostel, got one of the backup batteries and headed for Kuirau Park, just outside the hostel.

Looks like a normal park in winter… but there is sulphur in the air

There are bubbling mud pits and volcanic lakes everywhere

You know, I don’t fancy a dip

This looks like where you expect dragons to lay eggs

The best steam shot of the day…

For some reason some vents were not fenced off

The better version of the view

Actually, is this the best steam shot?

Or this?

Anyway, after this I took a quick look at the GPS… oh bollocks. For some reason it had turned itself off? The battery is usually to blame for that but in this case it was fine… what is going on with me and technology now?!

I roamed town for a bit… ended up in Pak n’ Save to get a couple of their GREAT Rock Cakes! I then headed for Government Gardens to see what was there…

If only I hadn’t accidentally chopped half the NZ Flag off this one!

Strange that that lake looked really good!

This reminds me of Britain

I can see why they wanted to move it

After all that walking I wanted to chill out in the hostel pool, because it was a pool at a hostel and that doesn’t normally happen!

I get in this thing and it’s like a bath! Fantastic! You don’t really want to put your head under as it sucks to have hot water on your eyes, but this is just what you want after doing 18km on foot the day before and quite a bit today as well! Ended up spending more than an hour in there as I got talking to a few other people in it.

After getting out I decided I couldn’t be bothered with going back to Pak n’ Save to get my own tea to cook as for only $2 more I could have Dominos do it for me. I put a couple of beers in the hostel fridge, went off, got the pizza, came back, beers had disappeared! What the thief doesn’t know is that they tend to give you a bit of a hangover!

Anyway, I then bought my $5 of WiFi time… and used all of it trying desperately to get at least some of:

• PicasaWeb Uploads
• YouTube Uploads
• Skype Calls
• Queued Emails sent
• News and Google Reader Checked
• New emails downloaded for offline reading
• Important emails replied to
• Getting the details of how Tracey can call me to her

Out of those only the email related things were properly done, news was checked briefly, one Skype call made (and it wasn’t good quality) and (admittedly my fault), because I didn’t know that my phone had turned itself off in my pocket, I didn’t see Tracey’s reply text so I couldn’t speak to her! Global Gossip got a clear email off me outlining the problem that I had just paid for poor service and I was not pleased.

I was even less pleased when I couldn’t find an a phone that wasn’t my UK Mobile and would take an incoming call! None of the payphones around here list numbers!

I decided to go get a couple of beers at Lava Bar next to the hostel. It was supposed to be a PJ Party, but no one turned up in it (that didn’t stop the bouncer acting as if it were the most exclusive club in town). I did get talking to a couple of Kiwi guys who were a good laugh and they had skiing on TV!

Today I’ve decided to head on to Taupo, so I had better go get my bus!