Auckland – Tauranga – Rotorua
Writing by Sheridan on Thursday, 6 of November , 2008 at 8:34 am
Today we powered on toward Rotorua (via Tauranga) in our super-charged Ford XR6 magnum.
Lunch.
Our resting place for the next few nights, Rotorua, lies about half an hour south of Tauranga, and is steeped in volcano-like activity. Rotorua is a hot-bed of thermal vibes, and as we approached I could see steam rising from various places. There is definitely a unique smell about the place, and although warned (and although have already been to Iceland), I found it momentarily breath-taking.
Instead of heading off to explore the steam holes, we changed into our swimming attire immediately and inserted our bodies into the mineral bath. Something about the smell of sulphur and the intense heat of the mineral spring made it a bit of a challenge to relax. But relax we did. For a few moments, when it got too hot to stay in there. And then we got in the normal spa, which was much more accommodating.
A brief walk around the park nearby revealed several holes in the ground, many of which had boiling mud or water or both as well as a cloud/s of steam. From just strolling around, I gather that there are two types of people who may visit here: the old folks who enjoy a quiet walk, a glass of chardonnay and an evening on-board a paddle steamer;
OR
those who want to roll down a steep hill inside a giant inflatable ball.
I might be in the first group. New Zealand seems to be a place of extremes – you’re either jumping off any piece of architecture that takes your fancy, or rolling down it or digging underneath it and then taking a 10-man canoe along it under the earth. They have a crazy amount of stupid things you can do here. Probably the most frightening is the black-water rafting. I’m all up for white-water rafting, although it is fraught with danger, it’s generally not too scary. You fall in, you get wet, etc. Clothes dry. But in this black water version you are in a cave, underground, and more often than not in the dark. I can’t think of anything more unpleasant. I would skydive before doing that.
We will probably be trying the helihike onto a glacier in the coming days. From what I can gather, a helicopter delivers you to half way up the glacier, then you trot around up there in boots with big-ass teeth on them (and hopefully an ice pick) and then the helicopter comes and takes you back home. I have never been on a glacier (intentionally, anyway) so this will be very exciting. And its not every day of the week that you go on a glacier (or a helicopter) is it?
Tomorrow we are thinking of heading to Te Whakarewarewa & Te
Puia, the first set of words being a thermal reserve with geysers, and the second being a Maori cultural set-up thru which you have to go to get to the spouting water. I imaging the whole scenario will result in many photographs. Then we may head to the Agrodome to see the 20 different varieties of sheep, amongst other farming type exhibitions.
Time permitting, we will visit another geyser or even a mulberry winery to cap off the day. If we drive past any noodle stores we have to stop and get noodles as Tim has been craving them for a while. Even if its not anywhere near meal-time.
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