The day began nice and clear in Rotorua. We took our time with a long drive around Lake Rotorua to Okere Falls (based on a recommendation from the hotel landlady). The falls themselves (http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/bay-of-plenty/rotorua-lakes/okere-falls-track/) weren't that spectacular. However, we discovered that this was one of the first hydroelectric power plants in New Zealand (http://www.ipenz.org.nz/heritage/itemdetail.cfm?itemid=2537). The citizens of Rotorua had electricity before many others on the North Island. We also drove another 1 km to the Trout Pool and saw Kaituna Falls, a popular rafting spot (http://rivers.org.nz/nz/bay-of-plenty/kaituna/okere-falls). After this short break, we continued up to Tauranga, where we were disappointed at the urban sprawl along the coast.
Next stop, Auckland. And the end of our New Zealand adventure. SIGH!