Next stop, Taupo. On route we stopped at a creek called kerosene creek which had a 5 minute walk to a hot spring river. We decided to have a dip and found it quite strange that our upper body was freezing as it was chucking it down, but our feet were toasty warm. You could see the water steaming down the river bank; pretty cool in the middle of a forest no one around paddling in a hot stream! We were a bit gutted with the weather being so rubbish it had been really nice beforehand and even more gutted we couldn't do the tongariro alpine crossing as there was snow on the mountain side. Seeing as though it was raining and we were already wet we decided to walk to the huka falls, a good 2 hour walk there and back. The falls were amazing, massive waves of bright blue water gushing down the riverside and bluey green lakes all around with palm trees surrounding the waters. Very pretty indeed. More to the point we were soaked, drenched…wet! Dean was particularly wet as he had brought water proof rain mac that wasn't water proof. He was basically wearing a tissue. He brings knives, gadgets and multi tools which contain screwdrivers of every shape and size which are completely useless, but something as important as a coat, and he brings a none water proof one!! Fool. So Dean got extra wet. Ha.
Back at the hostel we cooked our microwaveable risotto (we couldn't handle noodles again) and went downstairs and watched the film provided as it was "movie Monday" which meant free movie (limitless) and the most amazing popcorn you will ever try! Talking of food I have found my new meal for the next month. Kit-Kat chunky, cookies and cream flavour! Bloody tasty!
After a bit of a rough night due to some Germans in our room playing a film on their lap top till midnight then getting up at 3am to milk some cows we were a little tired. Never the less we went for a 10 mile walk round Lake Taupo which was beautiful, but massive! We didn't even get 1/10th of the way round it's so big. We were on a "trying to save money day", so pop tarts for breakfast (cookies and cream flavour...soo good) ice cream for dinner and a shepherd's pie that took about fourteen hours to make, for tea. It only took so long as dean didn't switch the oven on and we waited for it to cook in a cold oven. What a genius. Also the oven door didn't close so dean had to stand next to it reading his book with his leg on the door. ( were not doing a very good job of blending in in the hostel).
That night we went to de brets outdoor spa. So cool!!! 2 large outdoor pools, one 38degrees, the other 40. Ooooooo so warm. Dean had to shimmy in bit by bit as he couldn't handle the heat but I loved it. There were also a couple of slides and jaqoozies (can't spell that word sorry). There were also private pools, which meant there were several pools lined up next to each other, all in separate rooms, ranging from temperatures of 36 degrees to 42. Only smallish pools but you could shut the door and lock it so it was your own personal pool. We went back in the big pools when night approached so we could sit in the hot steamy pools under the stars... but there were no stars so we sat under clouds instead and I think I saw 1 star. It was incredible though.

Next day Dean woke up with a bright red luminous sun burnt face from the day before and a cold! Only dean could get that. The day got worse. We went for a walk in Tongairo national park and after asking for directions, walking down a gravel steep hill for an hour and a half from the top of the mountain we decided we were going the wrong way. Instead of seeing jungle forest and 50ft waterfalls we were looking at mountains covered in snow and serious amount of trees! So the best option was to turn around, which meant all the way back up hill. I decided quick walking was the best option as the slow and feeling sorry for ourselves option would just take twice as long. So dean followed bless him dripping with sweat and looking like he had just done a marathon and then it rained, but was still very hot. This made dean more angry. When we got back to the car we looked around and saw the path we should have taken, clearly marked in big bold letters. Arrrgghh!!! It was too late to do the full walk now so we just set off for the 20 minute version to see the mountain lookout…..At the lookout there was a big tree in our way so the lookout wasn't really a lookout but rather a big tree with a lookout view behind.Then on the way back dean got a speeding ticket and got in trouble with the police. To be fair it wasn't his fault it was 5 mph over the limit and he thought he was in the 70kph zone when it wasn't. Then when we got to the hostel it was like something off the Adams family. There were signs everywhere telling us what not to do, the bed had no duvet, the kitchen had an old person smell like something had died, the kitchen had a pot clown dangling from the ceiling (which scared me half to death when I had to go to the toilet in the middle of the night which was through the kitchen with no lights on as the lights weren't allowed on through the night!) and there were random freaky objects and mirrors everywhere. That night me and dean were freezing wearing as many jumpers as we had brought cuddled in a ball risking the fact I might catch his man flu but I was so cold I didn't care. So yes an amazing day for all……….. ( I did however pack my sleeping bag liner which came in handy, dean however used the space instead to pack his none waterproof rain mac and his gadgets! None of which came in use again.

We were out the next day as soon as we could and headed straight for the west coast. Not only had dean's face started glowing more, and he had a scabby nose from his man flu he now had blisters on his feet and was limping along like a hobbit. Bless him.
We got to the next hostel and bloody hell it was amazing. Right on the sea front, a beautiful house with FREE cake!! Woop! Most hostels give free coffee so dean was pleased and I got cake. Dean also nearly cried when he went in the fridge to the free section and saw free sausages fresh from the butchers. In all the hostels there is a free section where travellers who are leaving or don't want their stuff leave it for other travellers (free food). Me and dean have come to the conclusion we could just live off the free food. Nearly all the hostels have fridges full of free food, from herbs to jams, meats, cheeses, cakes, pastas and milk, etc bar the scary hostel we stayed in the night before, it only had half a bag of pasta, not cool! Our room in the amazing mana lodge has a sea view too within 2 meters you're on the beach, amazing. The lounge has 3 cosy reclining leather sofas in front of the fire and a huge country kitchen to cook in. The hostels in New Zealand are incredible. Most have free dvds to watch, radios and portable TVs for your room, most have heaters and even heated blankets too all of which the Adams family one didn't! But the mana lodge which were staying in tonight is fantastic. TO save pennies we shared a dorm, it costs about $25 dollars which is about 12/13 pound but for an extra 2 pound you can have a double room of your own. For travelling though there's no point as you get to meet new people and get ideas from other travellers.
After doing our washing we made noodle soup. (When we get back we are going to be expert noodle chefs, noodles on toast, noodles under toast, noodle soup, noodles and egg, so much variety!) Any way, with a cabbage only costing $1.50 we decided to add it to our noodle soup, not a good idea. It produced something that a baby would eat or more or less bring back up. Tasted alright though, plus we had nothing else and couldn't really use anymore free stuff without looking poor so we ate it.

Anyway will update you again soon. I'm off to my aunties the day after next so will have some time to go through pictures and put some up. Cannot wait to see her, very excited J xxxxxxxxx woop