Rotorua -- Hot Springs and Aromatherapy

Yesterday’s hike was fun. My body has been thanking me for all the exercise I've given it during this trip: walking kayaking, hiking. But yesterday before leaving Tongariro I had made up my mind to go to Rotorua. I booked an aromatherapy massage at the Polynesian Spa because all I wanted to do was a lot of nothing by relaxing in their thermal pools.

Two ladies I met at the National Park Backpackers were heading in the same direction, so we all piled our luggage in my rental Yaris and set off for Taupo. At Taupo we had a second breakfast honoring our journey through Middle Earth. We each had a delicious flat white as well. The passenger from Finland stayed in that town and my German travel buddy continued with me to Rotorua.

The true reason I wanted to come to Rotorua was to learn more about Maori culture – but the Polynesian Spa was also high on the list of things to do at Rotorua. My Lonely Planet guide recommended Rotorua as a great place to learn more about Maori culture, so once we got there we made a quick stop at Whakarewarewa to try and catch one of the tours, I thought it would be great to visit after my massage and hoped to grab food at their hangi. But once I got there I found out that their hangi is around noon instead of at night because they are a living Maori village and after 5pm people come back home to the village from work. My guidebook didn’t mention that and their website didn’t either. So … I’ll be going there tomorrow and I’m looking forward to the visit.

But today was the perfect “do nothing day.” This was the real LAZY day. I spent about 4 hours at the Polynesian Spa jumping from hot pool to hot pool 36 degrees, 38 degrees, 40 degrees, 42 degrees – they even had a cold water pool. My masseuse was excellent and the “inner strength” oil I selected for my aromatherapy was the perfect way to wrap up this trip.

I had dinner at a Thai restaurant on Eat Streat as recommended by the lady at the check in counter of the motel I stayed in. I walked around Rotorua’s lake and the strong smell of sulfur was strange yet relaxing. How do I explain this? The geothermal activity in Rotorua make the town smell like rotten eggs, but after a while, once I got used to the scent I somehow am enjoying it. After walking around the lake I enjoyed an unusual ice cream flavor: ginger and lemongrass!!!!

Now in the motel, I can’t smell the sulfur anymore. So let me get back to packing my bags because tomorrow I will have the longest day of my life.