Tauranga-Rotorua. Rotorua-Turengei

I missed a post. I apologise. I am not quite sure what the woman was trying to tell me yesterday, but I think I understood it as the internet for all of New Zealand was shut down. Which I actually found amusing. So it was worth making you wait.

We're now to the point of making this up as I go along. After abandoning the east coast idea, I headed inland for a very hard but very nice ride to Rotorua. Rotorua is a town inland famous for it's mineral pools. I would tell you more except that I was not planning to come this way. After not planning to come this way I ripped out this section in my Lonely Planet Guide Book (The Good Book), so I have no idea really where I am these days or what it's famous for. Like Turengei, I learned is the trout fishing capital of the world, which made me really nervous when I decided to stay here without knowing anything about it. But the place is actually the coolest little town. Very laid back. In New Zealand everything closes at 5 o clock. Here everything closes at 3. Yeah. That laid back. Anyway, since switching routes everything is a little surprise, and that has made it a lot of fun. Like my hostel in Rotorua. It came with its own mineral pool. Brilliant. And this hostel in Turengei. Most hostels come with bars, which is nice but bugs me...the alcohol culture of backpackers tends to depress me. But no bar at this hostel. It comes with a climbing wall. Waddup.

It was also in Rotorua that my cycling adventure has actually somewhat abruptly ended. Sad, but not that sad. I have realized that cyclotourism is not for me. Or it is but what I need is Backroads...nice bikes and someone to carry my stuff. I have no patience for this. More then that though, I have been in a lot of pain while riding. Knee pain and saddle sores. Which has made it not fun. And what am I if not all about fun? So I remade plans to ride this morning and then bus it to Turengei. Tomorrow I plan to hike the Tongorero crossing, but it is supposed to be bad weather. So we'll see. Either way I have a couple days here now where I can hike, bike, and chill. I've been going going going really since I left Beijing, so the thought of riding for fun with no worry about gear, destinations, time, weather, etc, is very appealing.