Rotorua

17th December 

Went to Putaruru Blue Spring in the morning. It was very pretty. The water shines blue because it is so clear & pure, it reflects all the blue wavelength light.

The walk along the river was lovely

I drove on to Rotorua, without really knowing what was interesting to see there. I discovered its part of a massive geothermal area. It was as if the whole town was alive with mist, mud pools & bubbling hot springs.

These are in Kuirau park in the centre 

I wanted to visit the museum but it was closed temporarily. 

Before that I found myself at a little wildlife park called Paradise Wildlife Park. It was a bit random....kind of like a kid's petting zoo, but with rainbow trout & a lion enclosure!....

....I did my casual 'walk in for free'

This wallaby was so cute & tame. He stuck his head through the bars & I stroked him.

I noticed that the Maori people seem to be much more integrated into society here than the Aborigines in Australia. It feels like their culture is still alive to a certain extent & many speak their language.

At Rotorua town there was a big lake & a sulphurous wildlife park.

I had been shown, at the Tourist Information office, where the free parking/camping was but the signs said 'No Camping'. There was a camping overnight carpark marked on google where a local guy, who has lived in his van for six years, said it was OK - you never get questioned - he claimed.

I stayed there until 10 pm when a guy in an orange jacket & a clipboard knocked on my window & asked me if I had a self-contained sticker. 

I said no, and he very politely told me I couldn't stay where I was, 'sorry to inconvenience you' he said, 'but you can park on the street'

So I moved about 100m round to the street carparking spaces......bit strange rules but at least I wasn't fined I suppose. 

I woke early next morning after a restless night's sleep