Break for half a day. I use the time to meet our social obligations – I write postcards. There are two or three people still getting one, you cannot say everything in a mail. 

Early in the afternoon we return to Rotorua, people also call it “Rottenrua” because of the bad smell. What would this visit be without taking a bath in a hot spring? Gernot decided we should go to the Polynesian Spa. There are different sectors, unfortunately not connected to each other. You have to pay an extra fee to be let to the others. We pay for the Lakeside Spa with four hot outside pools and a small lounge. After having been to the pools twice the fun is already over. They have to close the Spa because of a thunderstorm. Apparantly it is too dangerous to stay in the water with lightning above. 

We are disappointed, we would have liked to stay a bit longer; the smell is not so bad here. We allow ourselves an excellent diner in a Thai restaurant for compensation.