Rotorua - Stinky Town

While I am driving all these thoughts come across my mind that I would like to write here on the blog but when I sit down to write it is all gone - my mind is blank. When we get to camp, by the time we eat and do other things, explore around, it is time to go to bed.
Today we didn't drive very far. We had an easy morning, drove only 133 kilometers from Turangi to Rotorua. We made a couple of stops along the way. Again, quite a bit of traffic on the road because of the long weekend and a lot of police cars. Got stopped again today in a road block and had to do a breath test, passed without any problems. One of the many bikers ahead of us got pulled off.
Driving around in the motor home after two weeks is routine now and driving on the left side is no trouble at all. However there is always something we forget when we get going. Either a cupboard door or a drawer is not shut properly, propane bottle is not shut off or a widow is open somewhere. Today the fridge wasn't closed properly and a few things flew out, luckily nothing spilled or broke. Yesterday we had a few issues and as luck would have it it was in the city and I could not pull over. One of they cuppoard door latches above the sink fell apart and Michael had to stand there hold on so he doesn't fall and hold the door closed so that nothing falls out. I had to find a place to stop and temporary fix the latch.
This motor home is fairly new, it has only 22 000 kilometers on it but there were quite a few rattles when we starlet out. We got a lot of the rattles fixed now. First thing was the glasses and cups. Jana now has paper towels between them and that helped a lot. Then there was a very annoying loud clanging sound coming from one side of the drop-down bed. It was screeching and clanging so loud that we could not stand it. While we were driving Phillip was observing where the noise is coming from. It took us a couple of days to find the source of the noise. There are pins that hold the bed up and one of them was hitting the metal plate behind the catch. We made a couple of adjustments to the cables that hold the latch and got rid of that irritating noise. The only noise that is left now is a screeching noise when we go over a big bump or a speed bump, it sounds like the rear springs. We met a few other campers build on the same chassis as our camper and they all make the same noise so that is probably how they are. Overall we are very happy with the motor home.
One of the challenges we still have is that Phillip and Michael are sleeping on the drop down bed that is right over the table and most mornings it is a challenge to get one of them motivated to get out quickly enough so that we can raise the bed and get going with breakfast. We offered to trade places with them but they didn't want our bed because it is smaller and that would not work for them apparently.
One of the neat things we discovered in this motor home is how to make the bathroom into a drying room at night. We shut off the heating vents everywhere and leave the bathroom vent open as well as the roof vent and it dries our towels at night. The camper has a really nice bathroom and a shower but we used the shower only once so far when we freedom camped. All but one night we stayed in holiday parks where they have nice showers and bathroos so we use their facilities. We use the bathroom at night or when we are on the road. Phillip hasn't used the bathroom even once and today he proclaimed that he made it his challenge not to use the toilet in the camper at all.
I was hoping to do more freedom camping here but it is getting more difficult. They are trying to make people use the holiday parks more because it is good for business and mostly to keep the place clean. I am sure it is because of iresponsible people that the good things disappear. Camper van business here in New Zealand is big, they are everywhere.

As I mentioned already, today we arrived in Rotorua. Rotorua is the most unique area on the North Island. Unless you plan to visit Yellowstone, Iceland, or Kamchatka Russia, then Rotorua is the most active geothermal area you’ll EVER See! That’s right, few places on this planet have boiling pools as golf-course hazards. First sign of this amazing geothermal activity we witnessed was about 20 kilometers south of Rotorua. I saw some smoke coming out on the side of the road, I thought it was a grass fire that was put out. Then I saw place on the other side of the road with smoke coming out of the ground. It wasn't until the smell of sulfur entered the van that it hit me it was not smoke but steam coming out of the ground. It is quite weird to see steam coming out of the ground from someone's back yard or a field.

We turned off the highway to WAIOTAPU THERMAL WONDERLAND. It wasn't cheep to get in he he park but then how often do you see stuff like that. There were many steeming holes and caves with diferent collors around the vents, pools and cascades. I liked the boiling deep pool with some king of orange crust just below the suface around the edge. The funny thing was that the best part of this geothermal wonderland was outside of the park borders and was accessible for free. This fun part were the mud pools. It was very entertaining to watch. I will not make a comparison here as to what the sounds and sights of the mud pools reminded me of - but some of you might get the idea. This pool is filled with mud of different consistency, some fairly thick mud and some parts were quite thin paste like mud. There is steem coming out and bubbles and mud spits and sprays up in the air - lot of fun to watch.

Tonight we are staying in a holiday park by the lake Rotorua. There are a couple of hot pools right in the camp - they get the hot water from a bore 30 meters below the campground and it comes to the surface into two large stainless steel tanks where the mineral water cools and in the process heats the hot water for showering. Then once the water cool from about 100 degrees to 42 the it runs in to the pools. They even have a steem oven where you place your food and it cooks - recipes are included. Some areas of the campground are so hot that you can't walk barefoot. The camp is right by the lake Rotorua and we went down to the beach to dig a hole for a personal hot tub. We didn't succeed tho because the water was so hot that we could not even keep our feet in it. Walking along the path to the lake it sound like there are kettes with boiling water all around. Really cool to see - not to smell however. Even in the motorhome we can smell end sulfur.

Well this is all for tonight.