Rotorua

First stop on a girls-only-trip: hot springs of course! Stop and soak in a long hot bath, with no water restrictions.

The decorative lizards on the hotel wall may look like the Southern Utah gecko, but they're actually paying homage to the tuatara, a lizard unique to New Zealand and is really interesting for evolutionists studying the origin of today's birds and lizards.

Rotorua is a beautiful town, with beautiful buildings and statues, and with an unmistakable sulphur-rich natural hot-spring smell. I'm going to have to go back and take advantage of some of the of the touristy things Rotorua has to offer, such as rafting through caves, or enjoying a Maori culture experience.

Here are some pictures of bath houses and beautiful bronze statue of a man and long-necked woman that I found particularly interesting.