Day 3: To Roto-Vegas Baby!

Day 3

The whole team

Taking the bus from Gisborne to Rotorua

Finding a nice wee hostel as base, visiting Pak 'n' Sav, resting, eating, chatting to/up seven different nationalities

Distance today 272km

Total distance 712km

Today was due to be an early start as the only bus to Gisborne (at a reasonable price) left at 7:55am. It was made even earlier when the only other Brit in the building fell out of bed at 5am, with a thud and a yelp. She was fine but it seemed like as good a time as any to get up.

Breakfast consisted of cold sausage and disappointment. I couldn't get the BBC to stream. 

No Have I Got News For You, No Dr Who, Much Boo Hoo.

Anyway, off to the bus, occasional sleep, weird looks at the toilet stop from a small biker gang, quick drive past the coast, then to Rotorua.

And into the lodge. 

There's a vast number of German people here. Everyone's surprised by it, even the Germans! I'm trying to learn German but it's not been smooth. I'll get there.

In the mean time they're practicing their English on me, as are the Italians, the Chinese, the Brazilians, the French, the Argentinians, as well as there being a few English and Irish about. Lovely people. I've decided I need to try more French and German though- I've a spattering of it lodged in my brain somewhere. Just need to drag it into the light, blow it off, then show it off. Might as well be ambitious.

Other than that I've just been chilling, planning, cooking, drinking tea, and eating bananas.

Ooh, I forgot! Over dinner got talking to a girl from central China. I was making curry, but having none of the usual carbs I was using up my noodles. I then proceeded to eat my mess with chopsticks. She loved it- first European she'd ever seen using them. She was so impressed she took a photo! 

I've got skills, bro.

Anyway, finishing cup of tea no. 6, next to the last half a pack of Cadbury's and a few remaining bananas. The weather's cool but the spa pool is at 44C. Did I not mention? The cheapest hostel in Rotorua has its own geothermal spa pool. 

Sweet.