Day 148 - First day on the Kiwi Experience Bus

While waiting for the Kiwi Experience to pick me up at ACB Base hostel, I met another Canadian from Vancouver and knew right away that we would get along really well. She was pretty much on the same bus pass as I was and we would probably end up making the same stops. The brilliant thing about the Kiwi Experience is that you board a bus with a predetermined route but can stay for pretty much as long as you want at each place it stops and jump back onto the bus when you feel like it. Great way to see the country.

On the bus the first stop we made was a place called Thames for lunch and ended up eating at McDonalds and picking up snacks for the bus journey to Whitianga (Fitianga/Mercury Bay).

The next stop was Hot Water Beach where there was thermal water that came up through the sand. People were digging pits into the sand to allow the hot water to rise up and fill the hole, therefore making a natural hot tub. The water in the pools varied in temperature where some were tepid and others were steaming hot. Definitely the experience.
Cathedral Cove was next. We walked though a forest to the actual beach. It was absolutely beautiful though it was overcast.