Day 5 – Taupo

It was a night characterised by the dreaded cough, cough, cough for Carly last night. Whilst bravely powering on, it was decided to look for a pharmacy and what were the odds that there would be one almost next door to the café we had chosen for breakfast? So, cough mixture in hand we settled in for yet another Trip Advisored yummy breakfast. We followed that with another stroll around Rotorua and were then entertained when we returned to our car by a major police bust directly across the road. There were police cars everywhere, searches made, and a very suspicious looking character looking very guilty. We hung around as long as we could hoping to see something really exciting but alas, it was time to move on.

So it was back to the hotel for a quick pack, check out, and then it was back on the road to travel to Taupo, a mere 80 or so kilometres away. It was a pleasant drive accentuated by antics associated to listening to ‘Carly’s Mega Mix’ via Bluetooth on the car audio. What could those antics be, you ask? Well who knew that certain songs require, yes apparently require(!), everybody in the vehicle to take part in the ‘actions’. I found that, even as the driver, it was mandated that my arms be thrown up, down, pushing motions made, and moved from side to side. The 90’s must have been a lot of fun as a teenager and my education regarding rappers and boy bands of that era is certainly well underway.

We stopped to view Huka Falls just before Taupo but the short walk exacerbated Carly's cough so we decided a quiet afternoon was called for if we were to undertake our planned big day tomorrow. We did call in to a couple of touristy attractions & shops and then went in search of our hotel. This was to be found after a lovely drive alongside Lake Taupo – there seems to be lots of water and boating activity on offer. Carly was sent in to beg for a room before official check in time as her Kim Carnes’ inspired, laryngitis voice was assumed to be more persuasive, and so it proved…we were in!

This is our most luxurious stop with a stay at the 5 star Hilton so we were hardly roughing it as we spent the afternoon watching TV. (It was actually a pretty bad TV movie that was so awful it was funny). Trip Advisor didn’t let us down for our Linner at 4:30pm where we enjoyed SFC (southern fried chicken) and chips at Pauly’s.

I considered spending some time in the thermal spa when we returned to the hotel but was loathe to interrupt the canoodling honeymooners who had taken up residence there. A little more TV viewing was most informative - in NZ Family Feud you only win $5,000 (!) and the news informed us that there had been 2 geo thermal eruptions in Rotorua in the last 2 days, for the first time in 8 years – who knew we would have such an impact?

To top off this day of rest and relaxation, Carly and I tried a Rotorua Mud mask – we’ll let you know tomorrow whether we have been rejuvenated beyond recognition. Looking for an early night tonight and an early start tomorrow.