I had never been to Rotorua.

Or PooArua as my friends call it.

Due to it being the hubba bubba centre of thermal pools in NZ.

Notable for its geothermal activity – notably the Pōhutu Geyser, and its hot mud pools. 

Notable also for it’s smell. It’s thick 💩

We are up here to support our Russian/Ukraine/Canadian friend Alexei. Who decided he would head here from Canada to do a little run.

Only 103km’s. Was going to be 100 but part of the track got destroyed in the recent water events they had up this way. Redirection means its an extra 3km. Hopefully that’s not the make or break point.

Turns out we are also supporting another friend, our Meg from Dunedin.

We knew she was doing a 50km run this weekend so I messaged her with a little good luck. The discussion turned into what we were doing (yes it’s always about me), which turned into where we were.

Which turned into she is here as well.

We have decided we are the support team. 

I haven’t been a part of anything like this since I did the Oxfam Trailwalker.

Wasn’t a support person then but I definitely had a support team.

You can’t do a 100km walk with three of your besties without a support team.

Our little team did it twice.

Anyway back to Rotorua.

We headed up Friday afternoon after once again depositing the Princess (aka Frankie puppy) with the relies. She is getting used to it I guess.

MoD booked us into a pretty fancy little hotel, apparently because this was all he could get.

It’s a suite. Not too shabby at all. 

Second honeymoon MoD?

Once we settled in, we thought we would wander along the lake front.

We started at Government Gardens – truly stunning.

An historic area which was gifted by the original  Māori owners of the land, Ngāti Whakaue in 1880. ‘For the benefit of the people of the world’. And it really is.

Registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a significantly historic area and well worth a visit. Absolutely beautiful. Rachel Springs sits in the gardens. It’s got a nice little temperature of 212F….

From there we did the Lakefront Walkway as far as we could before we got to the closed sign. Recent rain has closed some of the track.

The walkway was a bit shabby, a bit rundown to be fair, but still worth it.

Sulphur Point on the way.

Smelly. 

Heading back to our hire car, we dropped by the Polynesian Spa, just to check it out in case we might need to go and relax after all this spectator viewing of people running. 

And had an ice cream. Of course.

The evening consisted of reuniting with our friends Alexei and Alyona at MeKong Buffaloo, right here in town. Highly recommended.

Then an early night so we could deposit Alexei at the bus at 6.50am.

Yes, they get bussed to the start.

Meg started at a different location. Given ‘I am only doing the 50k’. Her words.

50k? 

Legendary GF. 

Hell 5k is legendary methinks. 

Anyway, see you in 20 hours Alexei. So he says. We think less. 

See you at 2ish Meggie. 

We are stalking them on the app.