28th Jan to 6th Feb - Chilling in Papa Moa and some little excursions

We've spent this week or so doing the family things with the Beverleys and Mitchells whilst trying to ignore the fact that the sun seems to have dissappeared in place of wind and rain - this is despite Polly's midnight sun dance on the beach after a night on the beers! Barbie culture seems to continue regardless of the weather and we've had some great meals including scallops, crayfish and mussels. Toes have curled in glee and we have frequently turned in for the night with tummies like drums! The weather has also put paid to our plans to walk the Tongariro Crossing - one of the best one day hikes in NZ across active volcanoes just south of Taupo. The trip to Taupo was well worth it though and we strolled around the amazing geo thermal pools and geysers of Rotorua. The pools ranged in colour from bright blue, black, orange, yellow and ghostbuster slime green - lots of boiling and bubbling as if full of frogs on heat! The bubbling mud pools were one of Pol's fave things of the day - fascinated by the belching farty noises bursting through the sloppy surface!