Rotorua

Rotorua is a place in the middle of the north island where there are lots of geysers, like at yellowstone. there are also caves and lakes and mountains. I love Rotorua because it has a lot of stuff going down.

I slept over at my friend's house because it was her burday and we got picked up at 5 am. Luckily the back seat folded down flat so we slept the whole way on what was just like a BED!

We arrived at the blackwater rafting co where they do guided cave tours on tubes. We got in these wet suits. They were already wet. Then we put on a jacket. then shorts over that (why shorts?) then a helmet with a light on it. I think I sprained my finger just getting those things on me.


Then we walked to this hole in the mountain and it was actually the entrance of these amazing caves. With special creatures inside. GLOW WORMS!

I found out at these caves that I am claustraphobic. It was so dark and some of the tunnels we crawled through were really small. with water. There was no way out other than getting through. It was kind of hard on me but only half of the time it was confined.

So yeah the other half of the time was fun though because we jumped off cliffs into the water below and stuff. And when we turned off our headlights and put our feet in the pits of the person in front of us that was comforting. The glow worms were really awesome. It felt like we were up in space looking at the stars. so cool.

After the caves guess who showed up. The prime minister of New Zealand. And i am not joking I promise! John Key shook our hands and took pictures with us. He was so nice. I met the prime minister guys. Crazy.



Then we went ZORBING! It's where there is this 10 foot ball with a ball inside of it. And you crawl with up to two others inside the ball inside. And there is water in the inside ball. And then you ROLL down a hill! It is soo so sos sooo fun. I am totally going to start a zorbing business in Utah.
I fell on my face coming out.

Then we went to a dinner/theater. It was really good food with mussels and lamb, chicken, pork, pasta, salad, rolls, potatoes, squash, etc.
the 12 girls all slept in one room of a member's house. It was so fun! We watched A Goofy Movie.

The next morning I saw real kiwi birds, like the picture on my title. They are nocturnal so we walked into a dark room and could barely make them out. But one came right up to the window where I was and was clicking his beak on the window. Haha they are so cute. We also watched a Haka, like the team does before the BYU football games. That is a maori NZ dance. I loved watching that, it's kind of scary.


Half of the group, including me, decided to go to the single's valentine's dance at the stake center. It was really fun. After the dance we went to denny's and we didn't get home till 4am. funny huh.