Saturday 15th - more

After we'd been to the Eco Thermal Wonderland we did a bit of a wander around Rotorua and decided to pop  into the Polynesian Spa which just happened to be behind our hotel. We got the lowdown and decided that's what we'd do after dinner. 

We ambled back to our room for a quick cuppa before setting out at 3pm to go to a dairy farm and then have dinner. I really wasn't up for this, especially when I found it was an hours drive to the farm. Laid back John said to go with the flow and maybe I'd enjoy it.

Well I'm so glad I did as we thoroughly enjoyed it. The setting was beautiful, the weather couldn't have been better and the food was delicious and perfectly cooked. Pudding was steamed pud and custard and pavlova. Dad enjoyed both and I enjoyed the pavlova a wonderful time. The farmer was a really nice guy whose family were from Yorkshire and came over 100 years ago. The family have farmed that land since. The finer points of dairy farming were explained, ie rotating the cows from one pasture to another daily so that by the time they get back to paddock one it's re grown and reducing milking to once a day when the grass is in short supply so as to not make the cows too lean. The farmer is praying for rain and we're saying not until we've gone home. 

After our tour and talk it was back to 'the farmhouse' for drinks and dinner.  John had a welcome beer and me a glass of white wine which went down a treat in the sunshine. It took us back to our naval days and was like being at a cocktail or garden party. We enjoyed the garden and the drinks and then sat down to a delicious home cooked buffet. The lamb was the nicest we've ever tasted and the apple and peach crumble and ice cream necessitated a second helping!!  What a wonderful time we had and well worth the journey time. 

Mmmmmmmm

Is there room on the broom got a nana like me?

Corrugated iron is used for most roofs and some buildings and on the way to the farm we saw a corrugated sheep, sheepdog and shepherd. 

It was 8pm when we got back to our  hotel so we quickly gathered up our swimming costumes and headed off to the spa. We decided on the NZ$43 package which gave us the outside pools overlooking the lake. The assistant told us it was very busy but if we wanted to we could go and take a look. The place was heaving so I declined as it wasn't going to be the relaxing experience we'd anticipated. She then told us to check out the adults only pools but the were just as bad and not overlooking the lake. At this point I said forget it, we'll have a glass of wine instead :-) Very disappointing not to do the spa when we'd looked forward to it all day but pointless doing it when it wasn't going to be relaxing. 

Now it's Sunday morning and we are back on the bus heading up to the Bay of Islands.