Waterfall...s! The Raft of Adventure

We stayed the night in a log cabin - possibly a cedarwood cabin, as it was named Cedarwood Lodge - right on the shores of Lake Rotorua. Pied shags perched on the pontoon in front of our window, waiting their chance for fish and thrushes hopped on the lawn.

Early the next morning, we were off to navigate the waterfalls of the Kaituna River: specifically, the largest commercially rafted waterfall in THE WORLD.

I must confess to being somewhat nervous. I don't enjoy most fairground rides - and envisaged this as wet roller coaster - and wasn't even convinced it was potentially safe.

The family kindly tried to convince me to spend the day at one of Rotorua's thermal spas, thinking that a relaxing mud treatment or hot lava massage would be better. But I'm not a 'spa' person and wasn't going to

be left out. And I did feel rather embarrassed that I had made a fuss about my apprehensions, especially when Richard had gone to so much trouble over the whole trip, researching and making bookings which have enabled us to have so many wonderful adventures.

So we went. It was great - and I wasn't scared at all, not one little bit.

Might have to try those roller coasters after all...

(The journey back to Auckland could have been an anti-climax after this, but it wasn't. Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and coffee and cake...and a brief stop near Hobbiton...)