we arranged for this free day to do some things that we missed a week ago, such as visiting the craters of the moon and huka falls. we got up pretty late since we were out late last night. it just wasn't an early enough start to see those things because we'd have to take a bus out there. we opted instead to check out the museum. it's quite small and boring, but we spent a long time there to soak up the items on display. a lot of it has to do with local history which is deeply connected to fishing. there was also a small wharenui (maori meeting house) inside and a section devoted to past wars.

taupo mcdonald's has a plane, dunno why

then we took care of the human necessities of grocery shopping and laundry. pretty boring stuff. after dinner, we walked in the rain to an internet cafe because i really had to do some bloggin'. i'm pretty far behind. i figure that it takes me at least 10 minutes per day that i have to write about. if you go a few days without internet access, it really starts to pile up. i hardly made a dent in my pile. i had other priorities to take care of online.

who's number one? even kiwis admit it's the us. hehehe...

about where we're staying, the tiki lodge. it's a pretty nice place but why is there never a perfect hostel? i'm building a list in my head of the perfect hostel. what's nice about this place is that we have a dorm room but it's ensuite. so glad i don't have to leave the room to use the facilities. there's also public restrooms with several toilets, showers, and hair dryers in case your room is too busy. (twiddle thumbs saw a roach in the public restroom.) however, all the showers and our room lacked hooks or any reserved space for hanging up your clothes and towels. there's no floor mat or anything to step on either. our shower had a bit of a leak so you step into a puddle. pain in the ass. the kitchen is quite nice. i like how there's a separate section that is for people who just want to make some tea or coffee or heat up something in the microwave. i don't like how the pans are all old and crusty. i didn't use the tv room or lounge. i noticed there were a few board games to help chip away the boredom. there was also a pinball machine, nice touch. the cost of laundry is the cheapest yet, but there is only 1 washer and 1 dryer. needless to say, there was a long line to use the dryer.