Paihia, New Zealand

I went scuba diving today. I was able to get down. Yes, it was wonderful. My problem is getting scared on the surface and relearning how to breathe slowly and not holding your breath underwater. There was a blue damsel fish with two little white dots on their back sides were biting us. Apparently we were too close to their nests. I never thought fish had nests. The black spiny urchins are over populated in these waters. Our dive master brought a couple up and we tasted sea urchin roe. It was interesting. It was yellow ochre in color. He also would cut up the sea urchins for the fish and that was interesting seeing the fish in a feeding frenzy. No pictures. I forgot the underwater camera i bought in Australia for snorkeling. I think I was too deep to use it anyway. Saw lots of beautiful flowing plants. You know its the first time I've been diving in cold water. We wore 7 mil wet suits. My suit wasn't quite tight enough. Because to get it around my bottom half it wasn't tight enough aroundd my wrists to keep the water out. We all had a hood and full body suits and long sleeves as well as booties. In addition, I also had on gloves. I was cold the whole time even though the sun was shining brightly. So I think its the first time I have been sunburned and cold at the same time. We had a nice chicken sandwhich for lunch.
I have tried every lemon drink they have on the market and there is a big variety here in New Zealand. One today I found is called L & P, bottled by coca cola, has lemon and peaoka in it. I wonder what peaoka is.
We're staying in the best hotel yet. Its called the Scenic. Kiwi colored walls, cucmber and mint bahroom productts, good mattresses and pillows. The hotel, Kingsgate in Rotorura was disgusting. Saggy mattress and it had been ages since they remodeled the rooms. The lobby seemed nice. The tour directtor said the pool was going to be heated by the thermal pools that dot the area and in fact the water was ice cold.
Souvenirs are jade, bone carving, merino wool, lambs lleather wallets, kauri wood tiki gods and paua shell jewelry. And of course lots of pictures of green hills with lots of sheep and dairy cows.