Blue Lakes

I just spent a four day weekend near Rotorua for a rowing regata, but first a few words about New Zealand versus America differences. I know its been awhile, but I noticed a few more of differences this weekend.

I think I'll just focus today on how the McDonalds are rather 'flash' here (i.e., fancy).

They have a normal section and a cafe section (see counter above). Today I ordered a very lovely chicken wrap from this deli display along with a tasty iced coffee.
They make espressos and everything. It is common to see a couple mums ordering at the cafe and one of their 10 year olds begging for money so he can go to the other counter to get a box of chips (i.e., fries). Even the bathrooms are a step up from any Mackers (as it is called here) experience back stateside.I also think it is funny that the kids I row with call Rotorua Rotovegas as in it is the 'Vegas' of NZ. I guess it does host a few conferences and have some attractions like bungee jumping, sky diving and such. But it smells like rotten egg, hotels often have bathtubs that fill with steaming hot spring water, and there are polls of bubbling mud. Oh and there is a lake and it is not a desert and there are no huge casinos. But I guess there are similarities to be found.

But 10 minutes out of town is Blue Lake, which is partially heated by hot springs. A feature that is very nice when you are rowing in these conditions:
even more appreciated is when these conditions return:
There were heaps of people there, and Petone did fairly well.
We have room to improve for sure, but it was the very first time in an atheletic event I can remember where we had a very good chance to win and we just went out and did that very thing. No interpersonal dramas, no doubting ourselves, we just went out and did it.

Here are the boys team pulling away to take the lead.

We did the same thing in our fours race. We also placed 1st in our novice 8th final and came in second in the B final for the Club four race. Here is my team of fine people who are teaching me heaps about what it means to be a teenager in New Zealand. Yes, they were all born while I was in high school, but they are becoming some of my favourite people. And really what can be better than rocking out and singing along to ipods on a 6 hour road trip with 15 year olds who think you are almost cool. Nothing takes my mind off work this well. Plus I am doing way better this time around at being mates with 15 year olds than I did when I actually was that age myself.

Scenes from the road trip to and from the regatta:

Please note that these petrol prices are in Litres not gallons. Also, here petrol = gasoline, gasoline = propane, deisel is well deisel - but the rental van folks alway really check that I know what deisel is, cuz I'm a girl, even though the real risk is an American not knowing how to buy propane.