After a day of rest with very sore legs from the Tongariro Crossing, we started cycling in direction of Rotorua. First we had to cycle back along Lake Taupo and heading off further North afterwards. It was a good day, some tailwind and besides only small hills we had a lot off downhill parts. After just one break and an average speed of 21km/h we arrived at the Butcher's Pool at 1pm where we decided to stay. The Butcher's Pool is a free hot pool, very much like a big nice warm bathtub. The only thing: The water turns you a bit orange afterwards from the minerals in the water. After a nice bath we had a chilled-out afternoon again. 
The next morning we only had a short day of 60km to Rotorua. We took the time and arrived at the next hot pool after just 15km. This one was even better because there were two rivers meeting - one with hot and one with cold water, so you could decide what temperature you wanted or have a nice cool down after a hot bath. We stayed over one hour in there. Afterwards we did a hike through the Waiotapo Thermal Wonderland or how we like to call it: stinky land. It is a colourful geothermally active area with sulphur vents and some very colorful pools. After that we went to our hosts Pete and Eva with their kids in Rotorua and our made ourselves comfortable in our place for the night: their kids' tree house. 
We decided to stay a second night and visited a Maori village the next day. We learned how they lived and still live there and saw a show with their songs and dances. Afterwards we went to a hike through the Red Woods. In the evening we joined our hosts to the night market in Rotorua where we even found a German Bretzel and could enjoy some live music. 
The next morning we cycled westerlies and visited the Blue Spring on our way., the spring where 70% of New Zealand's bottled water comes from. We slept at a farmers paddock that night. 
After a short day of cycling along the Hauraki Railtrail we arrived in Paeroa and our next host Robin's place. We had a great evening with him and another WarmShowers guest and because of a bad weather forecast we decided to stay there for another night and did only a short cycle tour to the Karangahake Window Walk, a hike through old gold mines the next day.

Heading off to the Coromandels tomorrow and hoping for better weather. 
Keep cycling and may you always have a tailwind, 
Jonas and Vroni