There are a million things to do around here. This is the volcanic hot spot of NZ and also a major center of Maori culture. We decided to start with something familiar, a hike in the woods. There is actually a huge (13,993 acres) specimen forest--Whakarewarewa (don't ask ME how to pronounce it)-- planted slightly over a century ago just outside the city. Over 170 species were brought to the site in order to determine which could provide viable lumbering. It is multi-use, with trails for walkers, mountain bikers, and horses. We took the route that overlooked some thermal features and went through some very dense stands of trees. The ferns are everywhere and you can see why they are a common symbolic expression of NZ. Some of the tree ferns are probably 20-30 feet tall and it's odd to see these more tropical plants interspersed with stands of California redwoods! Our supposedly 2 hour hike turned into over 3 hrs since we made a few unintentional detours. Back to town for a few more groceries and I almost ran into a car when I failed to look right when entering a traffic circle. Whew! But I am turning on the windshield wipers less and less when I am trying to signal turns so that's promising. Quiet evening at the condo watching a movie. Not much on TV here except rugby and some interesting commercials. This unit has not one single lamp suitable for reading--an oversight I will point out the management ;-)
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