We had been looking forward to spending a few days in Rotorua as we had heard and read good things about it and also it would be nice not to be putting the tent up and down everyday! We arrived on a Sunday after an hours drive to find a very quiet smelly town. Due to levels of Sulphur in the air, Rotorua often smells like rotten eggs, at first quite noticeable but it soon goes away, or you get used to it I suppose! We found a campsite really close to the town and were pleased as it was a really good one. There is alot of competition in New Zealand with so many holiday parks, so the facilities are really good. This one was a step up though as it was a Top 10 Holiday Park, We could tell the difference as the facilities were much better and alot more modern, Our first day was spent just relaxing and getting organised, we even managed to watch a film in the lounge.

Our second day in Rotorua was Lynz's 25th Birthday. Lee made more than sure that her day was special, she had her breakfast made, the tent was covered in baloons and presents and she had cards from the family. We wanted to make sure we did something special so we went for a trip to Hells gate...alot nicer than it sounds! We spent the morning taking a look round the geothermal park, which was quite an experience, although I think it was made more special for Lee when we saw a fellow boro fan! We were then treated to a mud bath and spa, we felt really spoilt and relaxed, even Lee enjoyed it! On the evening we treated ourselves to a nice meal at a local Indian and a few drinks, definately one birthday that Lynz will never forget.

On our third and final day, we went for a ride up a mountain. The ride up and down was in a gondola, similar to a cable car. There was great views of the town and lake from the top, definately a kodak moment! We then had a ride down the mountain on Luge, such good fun. We were in small race cars and hurtled down the mountain at top speed, quite a buzz. So we managed to fit quite alot in out three days here and really enjoyed it. We even found time to make some Fajhitas, who said camping was all about the beans!!