New Zealand – Well we are down under!

Yesterday I collected Lee at Auckland Airport. His flight had been delayed for 6 hours so he was pretty exhausted when he arrived. I had made a sign up with “Lee Arthur Tours” but, Lee was nearly too done in to see it.
I’m going to blame Lee for the weather.
We started back in the sun shine and slowly in the distance over the mountains and Mount Doom, thunder clouds were forming! This was real Eye of Sauron stuff, darkness and great flashes of lightning and we were heading towards it.

It was dark and raining by the time we got back. Exhausted we both retired early.

Today we both got up early. Lee inspected the flat and he noticed the tumble dryer is upside down. Shrugging he said “well we are down under!”
I was intending today to be to be fairly restful so we set about spending Lees money. The result of all this high finance was one hot afternoon and swimming trunks, for Lee not for me!
We drove out to the Wairekei Terraces. It was raining but we walked around the gardens and natural thermal pools, streams and a geyser. There was also a number of Maori huts and carvings.

Then we descended to the man made pools for a swim. God it was glorious, and it got hotter if you swam near the natural waterfall. One pool was just too hot and there were warnings that the stream nearby was scalding.

The sun came out and it was wonderful. What was different to my previous experience of thermal pools was, there was no smell as its main element is silica. The water is heated from 1.5 km below the earth’s surface.
We were both quite pink and glowing when we left.
On the way home we visited the Huka Falls. Its a busy spot bit very beautiful. Huka is Maori for foam.

Now Lee is with me I resurrecting the ‘Phrase of the Day’. Today was mine and you can think what you like, it made Lee raise an eyebrow! “I’ve been wet in this car before!”