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GeoThermal: fun with volcanoes
I take a bus from Auckland to Rotorua.  On the way we stop by the glowworm caves where you take a boat on some underground caves past stalactites and stalagmites to see dots of light on the ceiling which are these glowworms.  Like looking at stars.  No photos allowed, so of course this Japanese tourist takes one that blinds us.

Then we go to Rotorua to see a pit of boiling mud next to a scalding hot lake and a 24-hour geyser just spewing steam.  In fact, the bus driver says that in the news this morning, a lady woke up to find a geyser steaming up from her garden a few feet from her front door.  Hello guys: you are living on a volcano!   Then I attend a Maori hangi traditional feast where the natives dance around and stick their tongues out at you before you can eat.  And at night to relax, I take a dip in this thermal outdoor spa - heated by volcano power -except now I smell like a volcano burp. 

Zorbing
The next morning in Rotorua, I go Zorbing, which is hilarious.  You basically jump into this huge plastic ball and roll down a long hill.   Oh yeah, and they fill it with water so you can splash around and do flips as you go.  It's kinda like the Superfriends episode where the Toymaster traps the Superfriends in these huge pinballs.  A Jackie Chan movie features the orbs too, though the Zorb dudes tells me that was a cheap imitation.   Anyway, I jump into the zorb at the top of the hill and roll down, running, flipping and splashing, and totally cracking up.  Man, it's a uh ball!

Sheep Farm Show
After that, I go to see a farm show, where this farmer dude shears a

sheep in like a minute.  He then gets me on stage to milk a cow. Yeah, I was born in Iowa, so I'm thinking this should be in my roots somewhere, but man it takes me a lot of squeezing to get some milk out.  Then, I meet his farm girl Vanna-white helper Haley, who the other guys at the show later told me is a pretty tough swearin' farmer.  But she is nice enough to take a few photos with the sheep and the dogs.    Those are REAL sheep in that photo!

Next step: Wellington

Zorbing: you climb into that plastic ball and they roll you down a hill.  Not kidding.  Before....and

After: post Zorb adrenaline rush! 

Haley preps the sheep backstage