Hell's Gate Mud Bath just N.E. of Lake Rotorua in the North Island of New Zealand. One of the few hot springs with mud baths. We hit as many hot springs as we could whilst in New Zealand.
One last visit to our favorite beach, Tapu Tapu Beach, a.k.a. Palagi Beach, in American Samoa. You can see our friends on the Beach; Mark (Left of Center), Emmanuel (Right of Center) and Allison appears as a tiny blob in the shade of the large rock on the far right.
We have spent about a week on the Big Island (Hawaii) working and playing. Today we went up to the CMDL Observatory on the slopes of Mauna Loa. Next we had over the Mauna Kea, hopefully do some star-gazing tonight. Tomorrow we fly over to our next stop Maui. Aloha!
This is the gateway to the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua, New Zealand. It is also the gateway to the Whakarewarewa (Wh is pronounced with an "f" sound) Thermal area. Whakarewarewa is one of the few remaining thermal areas with active geysers. On the grounds are the Institute where one can watch students and professionals of the Maori Arts, a Tourist center, where tourists are introduced to some Maori traditions and food, and the thermal area. There is also a Kiwi viewing building in the thermal area. Rotorua is a very nice medium sized town if one does not mind the smell of Brim Stone. There are steam vents all over town and many of the residents use the steam for heat, cooking and bathing.