NZ Day 22 - Goodbye Rotorua, Hello Auckland

Sunday, 23 April 2017

Our last morning in Rotorua started nicely for me with a paddle on the lake with Clare while Jon dealt with the last of the packing up.


 

Out of interest, next time I might book a slightly larger hire car, as this is what the corolla looks like after we've offloaded bags and chairs into two other cars..

 

Anyway - after final packing we took a small driving tour through Rotorua central -  it looked really nice and busy on a sunny Saturday morning. We also drove past the area we'd had the sprint race a few days earlier. I took a photo of the picture-card perfect croquet ground for mum..

 

Then it was on to our second last Rotorua activity - mini golf with rabbits.   yep. you heard me.  Mini Golf, with RABBITS.   We played 18 holes on a regular (actually pretty average) mini-golf course, surrounded by 9 large and roaming bunny rabbits who lived there. It was hilarious - particularly when one took a liking to Jett's ball.  You were allowed to pat them, but not pick them up - but they were so large it would have taken a fork lift truck to pick them up anyway!

 

 

I was very distracted by the rabbits, and consequently didn't play my best. I shot 51, Jon won with 37.

Then it was on to our final Rotorua attraction and something I'd been wanting to see since we got there - Hamurana Springs.  It's a small nature trail surrounding an amazingly clear creek flowing from springs where the ice cold water bubbles up at the end of its 70 year journey from the mountains.  The pictures don't do it justice.

 

The walk was surrounded by big sequoia trees which made it all the more pleasant..

 

Then it was back  into the car for the 3 hour drive to Auckland to register for the Masters Games followed by a lovely dinner with Helen, Kim, Jack, Ava and Paul, who also arrived today. 

2017List
Cool things Wednesday, 3 May 2017
NZ Day 30 - Long Distance Final Sunday, 30 April 2017
NZ Day 28 - Rest Day 3 (HA!) Friday, 28 April 2017
NZ Day 27 - Long Qualifying 2 Friday, 28 April 2017
NZ Day 26 - Long Qualifying 1 Wednesday, 26 April 2017
NZ Day 25 - Rangitoto Island Tuesday, 25 April 2017
NZ Day 24 - Unexpected Outcomes Tuesday, 25 April 2017
NZ Day 23 - Sprint Qualifying Sunday, 23 April 2017
NZ Day 22 - Goodbye Rotorua, Hello Auckland Sunday, 23 April 2017
NZ Day 21 - Rest Day 2 (HA!) Saturday, 22 April 2017
NZ Day 20 - Rotorua Orienteering & Adrenaline Forest Thursday, 20 April 2017
NZ Day 19 - Rotorua Orienteering Thursday, 20 April 2017
NZ Day 18 - Rest Day (HA!) Tuesday, 18 April 2017
NZ Day 17 - Oceania Middle & Rotorua Tuesday, 18 April 2017
NZ Day 16 - Goodbye South Island Tuesday, 18 April 2017
NZ Day 15 - Milford Sound Saturday, 15 April 2017
Milford Track - Day 4 Saturday, 15 April 2017
Milford Track - Day 3 Saturday, 15 April 2017
Milford Track - Day 2 Saturday, 15 April 2017
Milford Track - Day 1 Saturday, 15 April 2017
NZ Day 9 - Pastries and Packing Saturday, 15 April 2017
NZ Day 8 - Pools and Puzzles Sunday, 9 April 2017
NZ Day 7 - More Glaciers & Amazing Views Sunday, 9 April 2017
NZ Day 6 - Gorges and Glaciers Friday, 7 April 2017
NZ Day 5 - Seals & Rocks Friday, 7 April 2017
NZ Day 4 - Old Ghost Road Wednesday, 5 April 2017
NZ Day 3 - Abel Tasman National Park Tuesday, 4 April 2017
NZ Day 2 - Hot Springs and Long Drives Monday, 3 April 2017
NZ Day 0 & NZ Day 1 Sunday, 2 April 2017
NZ (Planned) Wednesday, 29 March 2017