Rotorua - Waimangu Volcanic Valley and Rainbow Springs

The day started off with a quick eat as much as you can cram in breakfast before the Grandparents were collected for their surprise belated birthday presents on the Rainforest Zip Lining Canopy tour. Well we loved it so much we didn't want them to miss out, and when in New Zealand it would only be fair embark and have a taste of a NZ activity!

So while the Chris and William were busying themselves flying through the rainforest....

.... we went walk about in Waimangu Volcanic Valley. In contrast to yesterday when we arrived the rain decided to hold back the lovely sun decided to grace us with its presence.

We had a fab little stroll along side steaming lakes and volcanic landscapes, totally unique and something you don't get to see every day, definitely worth the visit.

Rainbow Springs was our afternoon pit stop. Not massive by any means but great for the kids. Little walkways taking you round some cages with various NZ birds, lizards (including a few Tuataras), eels and so forth. But the two highlights have to be the kiwi house and The Big Splash. 

Being night birds the kiwis were housed in darkened rooms with red lights. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos but they were fascinating to watch - quite curious comical little creatures, the size of a chicken with quite skittish personalities dotting back and forth sticking their long beaks down into the soil.

And then there was the Big Splash, basically a little boat come log flume ride... winding its way trough the New Zealand themed land over time, from dinosaurs to the arrival of Maori and European settlers and then... the drop - probably the high light of the place for the boys.

The advantage (or disadvantage choosing which way you want to look at it) of it now being off-peak season is that we managed to go on it again, and again, and again.... However in order to break the cycle of giving the ride man a sense of continuous deja vu as we floated on by yet again, we eventually called it a day and headed back to Takapuna, as we have to say bon voyage to the Grandparents who are making tracks back to their green and pleasant land tomorrow.