rotorua - the stinky city

Welcome to the Yellowstone of New Zealand!

It’s called Rotorua. The whole city smells like rotten eggs. Unlike Yellowstone, it’s not a national park. It’s a city. People live there! I was extremely confused because at first I thought that the neighbor’s house was on fire.

But it’s actually the steam coming from the sulfur pools known as “hot pots”. They are everywhere! In people’s backyards, in the middle of the city, inside the parks. . . they just surround the pots with small fences. To prevent people from falling in and dying (which apparently has happened a few times).

If you’re smart, you build a tub around the pots and use it as your own jacuzzi! We stayed at a member’s house (bless their hearts for letting 20 girls crash there) and they had their own hot pot tub! With a TV built into the wall! We sat and watched Karate Kid. And came out smelling like eggs.