OMG so much to post!!!

We’ve been frantically running around the North Island since Wellington, trying to fit stuff in… so apologies for such a long absence! I only have a minute but I’ll throw down here what I can from the past week.

Our stop after Wellington was Lake Taupo… it’s a beautiful area in the middle of the North Island, famous for it’s location amongst bubbling hot springs and geyser-filled terraces. I got a wonderful massage and facial in a spa there and left town relaxed and refreshed. The area is also known for starring as Mordor in the Lord of the Rings. We passed Mt. Doom on the way in. Unfortunately it was dusk, so our photos came out a little dark. The bubbling springs around Taupo were incredible. For those of you who can’t remember those high school earth science classes, they are created from hot magma underneath the earth’s crust that has come close enough to the surface to cause heat vents in the ground. Steam rises out of these vents, giving the landscape an eerie silence.

In Rotorua, another hot springs mecca, we got a true taste of Maori culture, literally, at a show and hangi. The hangi is a way of cooking meat underground for an extended period of time, making it succulent and delicious. It’s kind of like Kalua Pig, but without the banana leaves. They also served us local potatoes, called Kumara. Yummy!

Okay, running out of internet time. boo! Will get back the rest to you later!!!