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I love hotels that have great complimentary breakfasts like this one. I think I outdid myself this time.

I can’t neglect to show off the 13 passenger van we’ve been driving through NZ. My uncle happens to be the CEO of a university, which happens to have a bus. Nice!

Today, we visited Wai-O-Tapu and waited for the Lady Knox Geyser to erupt. They pour a soapy mixture into the geyser, which breaks the surface tension between the hot and cold water. Gotta love the smell of sulfur in the air.

Wai-O-Tapu includes a number of sulfur springs and beautiful lush flora. Sulfur springs don’t turn out so well on the iPhone, so I’ll have to upload more pictures later.
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There was a giant pool of neon green water … I couldn’t resist.
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At the gift shop, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw some hand-carved fraternity paddles (or cheese cutters).

After Wai-O-Tapu, we made a brief stop at Waikato River, which supplies energy for 15% of NZ’s total power.
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Looking at all that water made me thirsty. Stopping in Taupo for lunch, we found a little cafe called Friends that made a delightful roast beef sandwich with all the trimmings (mushrooms, salt, pepper, onions, and this great light BBQ-like sauce).
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The drive from Taupo back to Auckland was quite a drive. Passing through I experienced my first NZ traffic jam that night – thunderstorm included. I couldn’t help but laugh at all of the “friendly” signs on the side of the road reminding me to relax and be patient. At least the scenery was pretty.