i went and saw this geyser today!!! i am now in rotoura (think that is how you spell it). its nicknamed sulpher city and it really smells liek it but you get used to it after a while! got here this afternoon bus dropped me right outside the hostel practicaly so not much walked wiht gaint back pack!! (it was hurting my back when i had to run for the bus in auckland...up a hill!! there is one thing a backpacker should never do and that is run with a backpack on, it looks daft) then i walked for half an hour and went to whaka (thats the short name, cant spell the long one and i dont have my travel book with me). It is a huge thermal reserve! it was so cool! hot steam seeping out of rocks everywhere and mud pools and bubbling lakes and huge tower of water and steam shooting out from rocks! by far the coolest thing i have seen yet! again a really hot day and it was made worse by the heat from the steam vents and pools! it was really really cool though! the area is a maori cultural area of significance too and its maoris that own it and run it! Got an insight into their culture! they still use the building and areas i was in today! all the carvings were really details and were filled with those beautiful shells that you are not allowed to pick off the beaches! the thermal hot pools and stuff was the best though and watching the geysers erupt! i got soaked from all the steam getting blown towards me. There was also areas of walk way that you couldnt walk anymore as the bubbling hot mud and enveloped it! it did seem overly close sometimes to the hot rocks! at times you were right next to a steaming rock with no barrier and if you were to touch it it was roasting! there was a big flat panel where they say you can fry an egg! anyway walked back to the hostel via a supermaket where i bought a whole bunch of stuff for dinner and breakfast and it came to the equivilant of about 1 pound 30p! although some things are cheap others arent! Going to stay here for a couple of days. tommorrow think i am going to go to the hot springs and down to the water front maybe see if i can get to the hot mud baths! not too sure yet! will see how i feel in the morning! Its meant to be a scorcher all weekend!!!!!!!!!!