Mic`s OZ experience: NZ part 7

9/2:
The tour started on Mount Helen which is one of the ~30 volcanos around Auckland across to Coromandel Pennisula.

After that we got the chance to hug twin Kauri trees,

digging holes at Hot Water beach,

to do the 2h Cathedral Cove walk,

and have BBQ whilst having a "Hank Marvin" (engl. slang for almost starving to death)

10/2:
An easy going, humid day with lots of drizzle. Final destination: a small surf town Raglau, bar for lunch and drinks, stay in the beatiful tropical Karioi lodge (link) where we would have loved to stick around a bit longer...

11/2:
Drive to Waitoma. Unfortunately the spellbound cave boat tour was fully booked so we saved some money in going to the Otavanga??? Kiwi house and see the night active Kiwi alive (as well as some other birds)...quite boring though.

At least our tour guide Thumper/Thumpy got the chance to meet up with his kids...
and we spent the remaining time (waiting for the others to return from dark water sledging, etc.) with eating ice cream. uuuups:

In the evening we got the cultural experience ahead and even slept all together in one of the "Maori family houses". Before that we received the typical Maori welcome

and had an nice dinner. Thereafter the boys got a lesson for the haka (link) which is performed by the NZ national rugby team before each game and girls in the traditional dance.

Both performed the dance afterwards

another nice sunset finished up the day.

12/2:
Rotorua (link). Famous for its geothermal area sulfur steam. I bought a Maori mask as a souvenir in an original Maori village.

Then a funny thing happened. We were waiting for Thumper while Lena wanted to grab a cappuchino and jumped on the bus at another pick up point in town. So did another very familiar person...and sat right in front...when I got in guess who I saw? Our former Westcoast travelmate Kati!!! What a freaking coincident!