Maya: The world is an illusion?

We found Rotorua to be pretty touristy (i.e. expensive) despite all the natural wonders it's known for. Good thing one of our local hosts told us about Kerosene Creek. Terrible name (and smell!), awesome place. We followed the directions we found online and arrived - just a short trek through the bush and a steaming creek was there to meet us. We spent over an hour in the warm natural spa, first in a larger pool with a waterfall, then in a smaller pool with small but forceful massaging waterfalls. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip so far.

Words can't begin to describe the memorable experience but I'll give it a try. Imaging laying in a river that is hot. Lush vegetation all around. No people other than the ones you arrived with. Warm warm water. About 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the air, 90+ in the water. Steam coming up all around. It begins to rain, first lightly, then a steady downpour. You stand knee deep, put your arms up, let the cold rain hit your face, eyelids, arms, hands. Then immerse yourself back into the hot pool. So relaxing. Energizing. Breathtaking.

Once our fingers and toes were sufficiently wrinkled we dragged ourselves out of the pools and started the slow drive on a pothole filled gravel road towards the main sealed road. We stop to chat with two French backpackers. They were picking wild blackberries. They offered me a handful. Perfect timing since I just opened up my plain yogurt. This is what it's all about - going off the beaten path, talking with other travellers, taking each day minute by minute, doing what you want. A loose plan, but really playing it by ear.

We go to Huka Falls and enjoy our picnic lunch in the grass alongside the powerful BLUE blue falls. We drive on to Lake Taupo. A simple late afternoon sitting in the sun on a dock. Girl talk. Ducks. Black swans. We were so relaxed. Only problem was we still had about an hours drive before arriving at our accommodation for the night.

On the way to Tongariro we pick up our second hitchhiker, Menno ("man-o") from the Netherlands. Travelling in New Zealand for a year trying to make it as a writer and photographer. Planning to write about his travels. Will go back to Holland and university if it doesn't work out. His blog is titled "The World is an Illusion." Vaishali says one word in Hindi sums this up: maya. Sometimes I wonder about this. Can this all be real? Can I really be this lucky? Or is it all an illusion? It's real. Or at least fairly real.