It was sad to leave Napier however always happy to explore new places. The bus ride from Napier had a two hour stop in a town called Taupo. The ride there was very picturesque and the shades of green were so beautiful to view. Of course, I missed some of the best shots on a moving bus. I will let you imagine!
Taupo is a lovely Lakeside community. I had enough time there to take a leisurely walk around the lake and witness everybody enjoying this place. People were relaxing on the beach, swimming ,playing checkers in the park, cycling, and walking down the lakeside paths. My favourite was the driving range, where people were challenged to get a hole-in-one on the raft situated in the middle of the water. The prize was $10,000 so people were pretty excited to show off their talents. I think Andrea’s friend Erica needs to take this one on. As in most places, there was always lots of Maori carvings, and art work to behold.
Back on the bus for another 2 1/2 hours before I reached my final destination. En route we stopped at the town of Rotorua, known for its Maori culture , geysers, stunning landscapes, mud baths and hot springs. I was advised by many people to not stay there, as it was pretty smelly ( like rotten eggs) from the Hot Springs. So, I decided to come back on a day trip later in the week to explore the area.