"Egg!" my friend exclaimed when I told her where I was off to for the weekend. This is her word of choice when it comes to describing Rotorua. Others were even less kind with their descriptions when I mentioned my destination.

Yet despite the opinions of others, it is unthinkable for me to feel anything but awestruck by the incredible case of geological indigestion that is Rotorua. And thankfully I had the pleasure of going with someone who is also a huge fan.

The winter solstice visit was spurred by a web promotion from Accor Hotels: 100 rooms in Rotorua available for $1. I'd scooped up a room at the Princes Gate Hotel, the lovely 19th century hotel situated directly across from the Government Gardens.

We checked in and were led to our room, or rather, our apartment. The front room featured a fully equipped kitchenette, desk, sofas, large flat screen television and even a DVD player. The bedroom was spacious and quiet with a queen bed and closet. However, the best part was the magnificently large old-style bathroom with a whirlpool bathtub. And despite the brisk outside temperatures, geothermal radiators kept our quarters wonderfully toasty.

In the morning we headed out into town, in search of a little breakfast nook, and came across Le Café de Paris. We ordered en Français (with a bit of assistance from the charming Valérie, the café owner) and dined on a hearty breakfast of fried eggs, a hashbrown, toast and bacon: all for only $6.90. The ambiance of the café was delightful, filled with themed bric-à-brac, and the fare was sensational - especially the coffee.

Thoroughly enjoying ourselves already, we hopped in the car and drove over to Skyline Skyrides. We selected the $50 per person package: a return trip in the Gondola, two Luge runs and a go on a contraption known as the Skyswing.

It was misty to say the least, but we each grabbed a helmet and hopped onto our Luge cars, barreling down the Scenic path, and only breaking one or two of the rules along the way. For our second run, we went Advanced, but the ride was over far too soon: apparently the two kilometre long Scenic track is twice as long. Ah well, next time we'll have to try the Intermediate track and make a final assessment.

If you are a thrill seeker the Skyswing is not to be missed. First you (and up to two companions) are strapped in. A cable pulls the chair backwards, up towards a tower. It's not much, at first... but as you continue to rise backwards it all starts to feel quite high! Soon, you're so far back and high up that you're almost horizontal to the ground, dangling precariously out of your seat, held in only by the harness. And then whoosh, you're released, a human pendulum!

After the Skyrides, we made our way back into town for a walk in the park. While it's true that in all parks the greatest hazard is finding that you've stepped in something, it takes on a whole new meaning in Kuirau Park. If you don't watch where you're walking you could literally stumble into a pool of boiling acid. Okay, a small pool of boiling acid, mind you. In this park, it pays to stay alert as geothermic events do occasionally occur: in 2001 a new steam vent burst open, launching rocks the size of footballs 10 metres into the air and a gush of hot mud that spread far and wide. In December 2006, a repeat performance occurred, albeit on a smaller scale. This has to be one of the only city parks in the world where you can truly feel like you're living a bit dangerously by visiting. And of course, admission is free.

After a good couple of hours in the park snapping photos and exploring, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up and then out for the evening meal.

Dinner was at a lovely little Italian restaurant called Zanellis. The quality of the food was excellent, and the ambiance thoroughly enjoyable. You can never go wrong with little plastic grapes lit up with fairy-lights. 

Afterwards, drinks and dessert at Abracadabra proved to unearth yet another Rotorua treasure. This Moroccan-themed restaurant filled with colourful glass lamps serves up gorgeous tagines and other Moroccan fare. Taking a quick tour before we departed we were astonished at the size of it - we'd assumed it was just the front part of the old villa, but it was absolutely massive - replete with themed rooms with traditional couch seating. In the back was a large open bar, with more couches for lounging and a lovely open backyard area. Why can't we have a place like this in Auckland?

Sadly, when we awoke the next morning it was raining cats and dogs. We decided to cut our stay short, and return in the near future for another Rotorua weekend adventure.

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