Rotorua Weekend - 1

Hello! I feel like i'm getting behind in updating this, partially because I have to re-size all my photos now because blogger is being silly, but mostly because we have actually been significantly busy at work the past 2 weeks and I've had a lot to do.

As my time her in New Zealand quickly winds down, I have to say that I am excited to get back to America, there are a lot of things and people that I miss. Also, all the Kiwi's and Europeans that I work with won't make fun of "my accent" anymore! Joy. And Mexican food. Anyways... 

This past weekend I flew up to Rotorua, the volcanic, Maori center of good ol NZ to meet up with one of Kelly's friends, Cassandra. 

"Sweet as, bro" definitely the theme of the weekend. Saw these T shirts at the airport and had they not been $50, would have totally got one.

Wellington is being transformed into Middle Earth right now for the Hobbit premiere in two weeks, right after I leave. This is a huge installation sculpture in the airport's main terminal. It was on the news here, done by the Weta Cave people and probably to welcome all the international guests flying in to see the movie here. 

Its my city! From the airplane ride, another prop plane but a steady flight. We flew right over the harbor and where I work in Petone. 

Sommes Island in the Bay

This is Porirua, where I was last weekend. 

Volcanoes from the plane, its so lovely to fly on a clear day. 

Lake Rotorua! 

After arriving and meeting Cass, we met up with her sister and went to the gondola up the mountain to do some street luge!

I felt cool like my Dad, he had done the luge when he went through Rotorua too. 

Dinosaurs along the track

Cass on the Chairlift back up

Lake Rotorua

I really liked the cafe area at the top of the gondola. They had a jellybean museum at the top of the gondola too! It was pretty cool 

???

That had to take hours. 

After that Cass took me out to a little known place, Hangarua Springs, beautiful clear lakes and tropical surrounding next to a redwood forest! 

See the gigantic trees was so humbling.

The spring, pennies have been found in there over 100 years old.

We stopped at a wildlife reserve too. 

Babies! 

Can you tell I'm really tired? haha, the advantages of having your body trained to a 10 week schedule for the past 4 years, really really tired at the end but prepared for a big push of final work before a deadline. Hopefully I can get some rest this.... Sunday and have a great final week in this beautiful country.