It was a long day in the car. I underestimated the time it would all take, even if I only drove about 225 kilometers. Most of it was on tiny, windy beach-mountain-beach roads that took forever.

I also did not factor in how much time I would actually like to spend in various spots, so that in fact I had to drop a lot of sights. Simply no time.

I got up at 9 and went to Hot Water Beach again, but it was high tide and I could not access the hot springs on the beach. Only from time to time when walking over the cold sand I could feel, suddenly, a hot spot.

On with the trip, on those long winding roads. I didn’t make it to Cathedral Cove. It took quite some time till I reached Mt Maunagui on the Bay of Plenty, close to Tauranga. The city is a major port and industrial center, but its suburbs and beaches are beautiful.

The land around it is mostly farmland, New Zealand’s fruit basked I would say. Nothing that wouldn’t grow here.

Mt Maunagui cannot be mistaken for what it is, it has the perfect volcano shape. Sitting at the end of a long stretch of beautiful beaches along the Bay of Plenty, it guards the entry to Tauranga’s harbor (but looking pretty much out of place there).

(Late) lunchtime and a little stroll on the beach. No time to climb up or walk around.

I briefly visited Papamoa Beach, an endless stretch of sand behind the dunes. The town is a cute little beach and surf spot, a long stretch behind the dunes… Life looks so easy down here.

Further on to Rotorua, my stop for the night. The town lies in the middle of thermal fields with geysers, mud pots and a distinct sulfur smell all over.

I arrived in the early evening, and just could not bring myself to visit anything.

And as it gets dark here fairly early already, all I did was to have dinner and then visit the Polynesian Spa that sits on the edge of Lake Rotorua.

Two hours of soaking in hot sulfur pools gazing up into the night sky did the trick, I’m ready for bed.