Rotorua weekend!

Kia Ora!

After we got back on Friday, we started the three hour drive to Rotorua.  Halfway through the drive we stopped in Hobbiton (named after The Lord of the Rings) and ate dinner at a nice restaurant.  Once we got to Rotorua, we settled into the house. I loved the house! There were five bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house was beautifully decorated with a lot of wood and stuffed animals. There was a lake just down the road and there are kiyaks and a canoe that Robert and Sofya used.

On Saturday, we did some shopping. Afterwards, we drove around and looked at some of the hot springs. Some of them were boiling and they were way too hot to get in. Then, all of us went to Kerosine Creek which is a natural hot pool. It felt like a hot tub. It is so strange to me that there are some bodies of water that are naturally hot. That night, the four of us took a bus to a Maori village for a hangi. It was so interesting. We got to learn a lot about Maori culture and they sang and danced. The hangi was delicious. The food is cooked underground for three hours by steam. There was chicken, lamb, bread, carrots, potatoes, rice, salad, and pavlova and fruit for dessert.

On Sunday, Brittany and I were dropped off in Rotorua. We spent five hours shopping, eating, and getting pedicures. At 1, we went to the Polynesian Spa. We soaked in their hot polls for about an hour until our massages. My massage was wonderful. The treatment started with 30 minutes of a mud treatment. Then, they turned on the water and warm water was sprayed on me while the masseuse massages me with lotion. The hour went by way to fast. After the massage we spent some more time in the hot pools. For dinner, we picked up fish and chips (which I will miss dearly.)

This was a great weekend. The relaxation and free time was just what I needed after a long week in the schools!