The official Lord of the Rings, Hobbiton tour next day was in glorious weather, which just as we finished the rain clouds came.

We cruised past Rotorua and checked out some waterfall (Okere Falls). Hells Gate was an attraction in a chaos of bubbling steam, mud and sulphur then on towards Lake Taupo and stopped at some natural hot mud pool on the way.

We found a camping place that just happened to have 6 nice rock pools with hot spring pools. It was the right medicine for someone who had been riding all day. The creek was actually boiling at 98 deg Celsius just next to our tent, 50 meter up where all the water came out of an underground spring. Amazing.

We ran out of fuel south of Rotorua, resolved with three rides, hitchhiking with a Maori guy in an old Ute, a silver BMW with soft tan leather upholstery and a 4WD 20 k back from BP. I forgot to pay him back but sent him reimbursement once we got back to Oz, together with a photo.

Huka Falls was the next attraction, not so high but vast amount of water.

Mt Ruapehu and surrounds were made famous by Lord of the Rings where the scenery went well with a cappuccino and some souveniring of a couple of Mordor's pebbles.

After Raukawa Falls we headed south for a great camping spot at, Duddings Lake, 40 k north Palmerston North. At Wanganui next day we had a good close look at the Memorial Tower- Durie Hill Tower with its views and the elevator See Link,

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