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16 - 21 Nov 2004 North Island Extension

Day 1 Rotorua: This was an extension holiday for 7 after our 18 days South Island Milford Track trip. We left on the 6am flight to Auckland from Christchurch but started for Rotorua only at 10am. It was a 3.5 hours drive and North Island roads are much busier. We went to the Tourist Info centre and booked a Maori concert and Hangi feast, located next to our motel. We later went on a short walk in the Redwood forest, originally from USA.
Day 2 Rotorua: We left early for Hells Gate, a very active thermal area on the outskirts of Rotorua. We spend more than 2 hours here which included the not-so-spectacular hot springs waterfall. We then lunch at the town's free thermal park. We spent the rest of the day shopping at the hypermarkets.
Day 3 Kauri Forest & Paihia: We left early for a long drive to the Bay of Islands. We took a detour to Dargaville for a brief stop at the Kauri Forest Museum for lunch. We then proceeded to Waipoua Kauri Forest Reserve to view the two tallest trees in New Zealand. We finished our long day arriving in Paihia in the late evening.
Day 4 Paihia, Russel then Auckland: In the morning we visited Paihia and the historical Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the Maori chiefs signed over NZ to the Whites. We ferried accross to Russel, a pretty little town and walked up to a viewpoint to view the Bay of Islands. After lunch, we moved on to Auckland 3 hrs.
Day 5 Auckland: Two of the ladies had to fly off today as there were not able to get seats for later day flight. The rest did a city tour which included a visit to Mt Eden, sited on a volcanic crater, with great views of the city. We also lunched and window-shopped at Victoria Street Market with the usual hoards of tourist. Other places visited inlcuded the trendy Newmarket and Posonby for the best fish and chips in Auckland.
Day 6 Go Home: We left for the airport in the morning for our flight home arriving at close to midnight.

 
Steaming thermals / Mt Eden volcanic crater

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